


wwww%g&$®&^& 



spssa^ 



f>Pf ffif)>^^ ^ Miw y^ rrftrf4afwi^f)^^|f||r ; 




I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



1 w \ 

»$'w $wM>tf<>— i 



I UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. | 

MS I 



BIBLE LESSONS, 



FOR 



SABBATH-SCHOOL CONCEBTS 



AUD 



ANNIVERSARIES. 



BT 



EDMUND CLARK. 




Boston: 



i ° J 












^ 



Published by <D. Xothrop & Co. 

(Dover, JJ. H.: G. T. (Day & Co. 

1^ 



-jnI 






EXPLANATION. 

For Banner Exercises, as they are called, a single letter is placed 
upon a banner, each pupil taking position where he can be distinctly 
seen, and repeating his recitation, displays the letter on the banner, 
so that when all have recited, the audience can read the completed 
motto. These banners can be made of various styles, and decorated 
according to fancy. Here are given some forms, which can be easily 
made, and will be inexpensive: — 




White cambric, with dark red, blue or black letters, with an or- 
namental edge of the same color, or fancy colored, with gilt ©r 
silver letters and edge, would be appropriate. The sticks of the 
banners should be four or five feet in length. A cord, the same 
color as the letters, should be put from the top of the banner to 
nearly the top of the stick. An ornamental top to the stick — a 
cross, ball, arrow, or something similar — will give a finish to it. 
A set of banners can be used many times, in different exercises. 
Several " Banner Exercises " are given in this series. 



Entered according to Act of Congress*, in fee year 1SF4, 
% By D. LOTHKOP & COMPANY, 
In the Office of the librarian of Congress at Washington^ 



PREFACE. 

The Sunday School Concert has been for many- 
years one of the most prominent features of the Sun- 
day School work. The former manner of conducting 
the Concert, with its speech-making, story-telling, 
and promiscuous recitation of Scripture texts, has 
given place to method and detail of arrangement. 
In a Concert Exercise there should be one prominent 
thought ; the Bible verses, songs and selections of 
prose and poetry should have a bearing upon that 
one central truth. The exercises of a Concept should 
be interesting, instructive and pleasing, and the re- 
sults of such a course will not only be beneficial to 
the audience, but will re-act to the interest and profit 
of the school. The Concert, through the interest 
of its exercises, has many times been the means of 
leading persons not connected with the school to be- 
come regular members of the school, and ultimately 
they have been led to become firm and devoted 
Christians. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

No. 1. Temperance Band. . 5 

" The Evils of Intemperance 8 

No. 2. Roses. . . . 23 

" The Rose of Sharon 34 

No. 3. Flowers 43 

No. 4. Our Shepherd 57 

" Feed My Lambs 62 

" Little Children 66 

No. 5. Names of Christ 71 

" God is Love 75 

" Love One Another 77 

" The New Law. 81 

" God is Ever Good 84 

No. 6. Praise Concert. ....... 85 

No. 7. The Morning Star. ....... 103 

No. 8. The New Year 117 

No. 9. Faith 137 

No. 10. The Circle of the Graces. . . . . .155 

" The Crowns of the Christian 162 

" The Rewards of the Righteous 166 

No. 11. The Six Days of the Creation. .... 169 

" God's Works. 179 

3 



4 CONTENTS. 

?AGE 
No. 12. The Sea 183 

No. 13. The Christian Graces 199 

No. 14. Consider the Lilies. • . . . . .223 
" The Commandments. 240 

No. 15. Brevity of Life. 241 

The Preparation for Death. ..... 250 

God is in Heaven. . . . . . . 252 

The Lord's Prayer 253 

Little Prayer. . 254 

No. 16. The Two Ways 255 

Good and Evil. 265 

Light and Darkness. 266 

No. 17. Bock of Ages. 269 

Bock of Ages. 272 

The Widow of Nain. ...... 276 

No. 18. The Musical Instruments of the Bible. . . .281 

Happiness. 287 

Cheerfulness 290 

Contentment 292 

The Saviour's Calling Little Children. . . .292 



BIBLE LESSONS. 



TEMPERANCE BAND. 

Note. This Exercise is taken from Sunshine. 
Four small boys in front bear the letters — 

BAND. 

Ten others sing or recite a verse, and present an ap- 
propriate letter, forming the motto — 

TEMPERANCE BAND. 

T. 

FIRST. 

Right welcome friends, and here we stand, 

All ready, as you see, 
To choose a trade and form a band ; 

A Teacher I would be. 

E. 

SECOND. 

All right, friend teacher, let me see, 

If I am called to choose, 
An Editor I'd like to be, 

To hear and tell the news. 

5 



BIBLE LESSONS. 

M. 

THIRD. 

I'll take your paper, Mr. E., 

If I may join your band; 
For I a Merchant hope to be, 

A merchant rich and grand. 

P. 

FOURTH. 

Be true and honest, rich or not, 
All ye who trade or teach, 

And do your best, whatever your lot- 
I think I'd like to Preach. 

E. 

FIFTH. 

My choice, I'm free enough to say, — 
Perhaps you'll think it queer, — 

Would be, if I could have my way, — 
To be an Engineer. 

R. 

SIXTH. 

I'll go to Congress, if I can, 

I have a point in view ; 
I'll try to be an honest man, 

And be a Huler, too. 



TEMPERANCE BAND. 7 



SEVENTH. 

No dwelling place with naked walls, 

A cheerful home can be ; 
A mystic voice my spirit calls — 

An Artistfs brush for me. 

N. 

EIGHTH. 

I'll preach, and teach, and write, and read, 

And travel, if I can ; 
I'll give whate'er my neighbors need, 

And be a Nice old man. 

C. 

NINTH. 

I may not serve my country so, 

Nor live to be quite old; 
So to the army I will go, 

To be a Captain bold. 

E. 

TENTH. 

For Temperance my voice shall tell, 
Where'er my way may wend ; 

If all be well that endeth well, 
I'll answer to the End. 



S BIBLE LESSONS. 

THE EVILS OF INTEMPERANCE. 

Singing. 
Hark) the voice of Choral Song. 

[River of Life, p. 117. 

Intemperance destroys the Health. 

And Abigail came to Nabal ; and, behold, he held 
a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and 
Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very 
drunken; wherefore she told him nothing, less or 
more, until the morning light. 

But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine 
was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him 
these things, that his heart died within him, and he 
became as a stone. 

And it came to pass about ten days after, that the 
Lord smote Nabal, that he died. 

[1 Sam. xxv. 36, 37, 38. 

Wine and new wine take away the heart. 

[Hosea iv. 11. 

The Court of Death. 

This allegory should be read or recited by a person 
having a clear, distinct voice, in order to have every 
word understood. 

Death, the king of terrors, was determined to 



THE EVILS . OF INTEMPERANCE. i) 

choose a prime minister ; and his pale courtiers, the 
ghastly train of diseases, were all summoned to at- 
tend, when each preferred his claim to that illus- 
trious office. Fever urged the numbers he de- 
stroyed; cold Palsy set forth his pretensions by 
shaking all his limbs ; and Dropsy, by his swelled, 
unwieldy carcass ; Gout hobbled up, and alleged his 
great power in racking every joint; and Asthma! s 
inability to speak was a strong though silent argu- 
ment in favor of his claim ; Stone and Colic pleaded 
their violence; Plague, his rapid progress in de- 
struction; and Consumption, though slow, insisted 
that he was sure. 

In the midst of this contention, the court was dis- 
turbed by the noise of music, dancing, feasting and 
revelry ; when immediately entered a lady, with a 
confident air, and a flushed countenance, attended by 
a troop of cooks and bucchanals : her name was In- 
temperance. She waved her hand, and thus ad- 
dressed the crowd of diseases : " Give way, ye sickly 
band of pretenders, nor dare to vie with my superior 
merits in the service of this great monarch. Am not I 
your parent ? Do ye not derive the power of short- 
ening human life almost wholly from me? Who, 
then, so fit as myself for this important office ? " The 
grisly monarch grinned a smile of approbation, placed 
her at his right hand, and she immediately became 
his principal favorite and prime minister. 



10 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Intemperance infuriates the Temper, 
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and 
whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. 

[Prov. xx. 1. 

Intemperance injures the Memory. 
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to 
drink wine ; nor for princes strong drink : 

Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert 
the judgment of any of the afflicted. 

[Prov. xxxi. 4, 5. 

Recitation by a Little Boy. 
A Child's Questions. 

Was he ever a baby, mother, 

That reeling and tattered man, 
With dead eyes out of a purple face, 

Looking only as dead eyes can ? 

Did a mother's kiss ever fall on 

That frightful and grimacing mouth ? 

Did it ever prattle and say sweet things, 
Like a brook in a summer's drouth ? 

Did he lift his small hand, praying 

The Lord his soul to keep ? 
Who goes muttering dreadful words 

As he rolls in the ditch to sleep ? 



THE EVILS OF INTEMPERANCE. 11 

mother, the cup of the drunkard, 
My lips shall never kiss ; 

Where all that is sweetest in body and soul, 
Is changed to a thing like this. 

1 think of the cruel Herod, 

And the babes he slew, 
But were it not kinder to kill them so, 
Than to make them wicked too? 

Singing. 
<9A, haste to the rescue. 

[Pure Diamonds, p. 136. 
Recitation by a Little Girl. 
What to Drink. 
The Lily drinks the sunlight, 

The Primrose drinks the dew, 
The Cowslip sips the running brook, 

The Hyacinth heaven's blue. 
The Peaches quaff the dawn light, 

The Pears the autumn noon, 
The Apple-blossoms drink the rain, 
And the first warm air of June. 

The Wind-flower and the Violet 

Draw in the April breeze, 
And sun, and rain, and hurricane, 

Are the tipple of the trees. 



12 BIBLE LESSONS. 

But not a bud or greenling, 

From the Hyssop on the wall 
To the Cedars of Mount Lebanon, 

Is steeped in alcohol. 

From all the earth's emerald basin, 

From the blue sky's sapphire bowl, 
No living thing of root or wing 

Partakes that deadly dole. 
I'll quaff the Lily's nectar, 

I'll sip of the Cowslip's cup, 
I'll drink the shower, the sun, the breeze, 

But never a poisoned drop. 

Intemperance destroys the Soul. 
While they are drunken as drunkards, they shall 
be devoured as stubble fully dry. [Nahum i. 10. 

Intemperance causes Misery and Desolation in the 

land. 

The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all 
the merry hearted do sigh. 

The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them 
that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. 

They shall not drink wine with a song; strong 
drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. 

The city of confusion is broken down; every 
house is shut up, that no man may come in. 



THE EVILS OF INTEMPERANCE. 13 

There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy 
is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 

In the city is left desolation, and the gate is 
smitten with destruction. [Isa. xxiv. 7-12. 

Intemperance causes Quarrels. 
From whence come wars and fightings among 
you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that 
war in your members ? [Jas. iy. 1. 

Intemperance injures the Character. 
But now I have written unto you not to keep 
company, if any man that is called a brother be a 
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or 
a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no 
not to eat. [1 Cor. v. 11. 

Intemperance inflames the Passions. 

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, 
that they may follow strong drink; that continue 
until night, till wine inflame them ! 

And the harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe and 
wine, are in their feasts; but they regard not the 
work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of 
his hands. 

Therefore my people are gone into cajDtivity, be- 
cause they have no knowledge : and their honorable 
men are famished, and their multitude dried up with 
thirst. 



14 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened 
her mouth without measure: and their glory, and 
their multitude, and their pomp, and he that re- 
joiceth, shall descend into it. [Isa. v. 11-14. 

Intemperance leads to Remorse. 
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth 
like an adder. [Prov. xxiii. 32. 

Intemperance leads to Poverty. 
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man : he 
that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. 

[Prov. xxi. 17. 

Intemperance leads the heart to Destruction. 

Let not thine heart incline to her ways, go not 
astray in her paths. 

For she hath cast down many wounded, many 
strong men have been slain by her. 

Her house is the way to hell, going down to the 
chambers of death. [Prov. vii. 25-27. 

Recitation. 

The Drunkard's life. 

Sad is the drunkard's life, wasting in crime, 
Far from the paths of life, reckless of time ; 
Tears of repentant grief chill as they start, 
Hardly a tender thought wakes in his heart. 



THE EVILS OF INTEMPERANCE. 15 

Often a single spark kindles a flame, 
Kindness may win him back, prayer may reclaim ; 
Go, where he sits alone burdened with care, 
Tell him his sinful course, plead with him there. 

Picture a happy past gone from his sight, 
Bring back his early youth, cloudless and bright, 
Tell how a mother's eye watched while he slept, 
Tell how she prayed for him, sorrowed and wept. 

Point to the better land, home of the blest, 
Where she has passed away, gone to her rest; 
O'er that departed one, memory will yearn, 
God in his mercy grant he may return. 

Singing. 
The Children's Response. 

[Pure Diamonds, p. 137. 

Til never use Tobacco. 

" 111 never use tobacco, no, 

It is a filthy weed ; 
I'll never put it in my mouth," 

Said little Robert Reid. 

" Why, there was idle Jerry Jones, 

As dirty as a pig, 
Who smoked when only ten years old, 

And thought it made him big. 



16 BIBLE LESSONS. 

" He'd puff along the open streets 

As if he had no shame ; 
He'd sit beside the tavern door, 

And there he'd do the same. 

" He spent his time and money too, 

And made his mother sad ; 
She feared a worthless man would come 

From such a worthless lad." 

u Oh, no, I'll never smoke or chew, 

'Tis very wrong indeed ; 
It hurts the health, it makes bad breath," 

Said little Robert Reid. 

Recitation. 
Dash the Wine Cup away. 

Dash the wine cup away ! though its sparkles should 

be 
More bright than the gems that lie hid in the sea, — 
For the Demon, unseen by thine eye, lurketh there, 
Who would win thee to ruin, to woe, and despair. 

Believe not the tempter who tells thee of joy 
In the bright flashing goblet that lures to destroy ; 
Nor barter thy birthright, nor give up thy soul, 
For a moment's mad bliss, to the Fiend of the Bowl. 



THE EVILS OF INTEMPERANCE. 17 

Oh, the mighty have fallen — the strong and the 

proud, 
To the thrall of the wine cup have abjectly bowed; 
For its maddening delights flung their glory away, 
And yielded insanely, their souls to its sway. 

The wise, and the learned in the lore of the schools, 
Have drunk — and become the derision of fools ; 
And the light that made radiant the spirit divine 
Hath often been quenched in a goblet of wine 

Youth and Beauty, while yet in their strength and 

their glow, 
Have been marked by the Fiend, and in ruin laid 

low; 
And the Priest and the Statesman together have 

kneeled 
To the wine god obscene, till in madness they reeled. 

Up — up to the rescue ! The land must be torn 
From the grasp of the Demon whose fetters we've 

worn, — 
Our homes, by his touch, be no longer profaned — 
Our souls to his thraldom, no more be enchained. 

Dash the wine cup away ! we will henceforth be free, 
Earth's captives their morn of redemption shall see ; 
2 



18 BIBLE LESSONS. 

And the foul fiend that bound them, be thrust back 

again, 
While the songs of our triumph exultingly swell. 

Singing. 

School and Congregation. 

[Tune, Hamburg. 

" Slavery and death the cup contains, 
Dash to the earth the poisoned thing ; 
Softer than silk are iron chains, 
Compared with those that chafe the soul. 

• Help us to heed Thy word divine, 
And look not on the crimson wine, 
To fear and flee the accursed thing, 
As serpent's bite or adder's sting." 

Motto Exercise. 
Shun the Wine Cup. 

Note. In reciting this, the letters are to be put 
upon a Cross, Arch, Screen, or upon any device 
which it may be convenient to use. It will be found 
upon trial to be a fitting closing exercise to this ar- 
rangement upon " The Evils of Intemperance." Al- 



THE EVILS OF INTEMPERANCE. 19 

ways keep the subject of the motto a secret until it 
is revealed letter by letter, announcing it to the au- 
dience simply as "A Motto Exercise, the subject of 
which will be seen as it is arranged." 

S. 

First Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Sorrow. 

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath 
contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds 
without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 

They that tarry long at the wine ; they that go to 
seek mixed wine. [Prov. xxiii. 29, 30. 

H. 

Second Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Harm. 

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when 
it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself 
aright. [Prov. xxiii. 31. 

U. 
Third Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Unright- 
eousness. 

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against 
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold 
the truth in unrighteousness; [Rom. i. 18. 

N. 
Fourth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Neglect 
of health. 
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes 
not be burned ? 



20 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be 
burned? [Prov. vi. 27, 28. 

T. 

Fifth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Trouble. 

Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, 
and men of strength to mingle strong drink : 

Which justify the wicked for reward, and take 
away the righteousness of the righteous from him ! 

Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the 
flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as 
rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust, 
because they have cast away the law of the Lord of 
hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of 
Israel. [Isa. v. 22, 23, 24. 

H. 
Sixth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Hypocrisy. 

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your 
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunken- 
ness, and cares of this life, and so that day come 
upon you unawares. [Luke xxi. 34. 

E. 

Seventh Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Evil. 
Be not deceived ; God is not mocked : for what- 
soever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

W. 

Eighth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Woes. 
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of 



THE EVILS OF INTEMPERANCE. 21 

Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, 
which are on the head of the fat valleys of them 
that are overcome with wine ! [Isa. xxviii. 1. 

I. 

Ninth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Iniquity. 

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not in- 
herit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : nei- 
ther fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor 
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 

Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor re- 
vilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of 
God. [1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 

N. 
Tenth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Noisiness. 
Let us walk honestly, as in the day ; not in riot- 
ing and drunkenness, not in chambering and wan- 
tonness, not in strife and envying. 

[Rom. xiii. 13. 

E. 

Eleventh Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Error. 

But they also have erred through wine, and 

through strong drink are out of the way ; the priest 

and the prophet have erred through strong drink, 

they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the 

2 



22 BIBLE LESSONS. 

way through strong drink ; they err in vision, they 
stumble in judgment. [Isa. xxviii. 7. 

c. 

Twelfth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Condem- 
nation, 
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and 
.such like : of the which I tell you before, as I have also 
told you in time past, that they which do such 
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

[Gal. v. 21. 

U. 

Thirteenth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Unbe- 
lief. 
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and 
pilgrims, abstain from fleshy lusts, which war against 
the soul. 

P. 

Fourteenth Scholar. — Intemperance leads to Pov- 
erty. 

Be not among winebibbers ; among riotous eaters 
of flesh ; 

For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to 
poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with 
rags. [Prov. xxiii. 20, 21. 



A ELOEAL EXEECISE. 



ROSES. 

Note. This Floral Exercise is to be recited in 
tlie following manner: All the selections of prose 
and poetry being numbered, they are to be recited in 
regular order in which the numbers are placed ; the 
questions to be asked by the Superintendent, and the 
Scripture selections recited by the classes arising to- 
gether and repeating the texts in turn, or by differ- 
ent members of the school scattered among the 
several classes. No directions are here given for the 
arrangement of the flowers, that being left to the 
skill and taste of the members of the school holding 
the "Rose Concert." 

THE EXERCISE. 

Singing. 
Sow sweet are the flowers. 

[Happy Voices, p. 4 
1. 
The Rose is preeminently the flower of love and 
poetry, the very perfection of floral realities. Imagi- 
nation may have flattered herself, that her power 
could form a more perfect beauty ; but it is said she 

23 



24 BIBLE LESSONS. 

never yet discovered such to mortal eyes. It is a 
flower beloved by every one, not only in the present 
age, but has been in all ages past, and will no doubt 
continue to be the most prominent and desirable 
flower as long as the world stands. It may with 
propriety be styled, and must always be considered, 
the Queen of Flowers. 

" The Rose is the honor and beauty of flowers, 
The Rose is the care and love of the spring, 
The Rose is the pleasure of the heavenly powers." 

2. 

It is said the angels possess a more beautiful kind 
of Roses, than those we have on earth. David saw 
in a vision a number of angels pass by with gilded 
baskets in their hands. 

" Some, as they went, the blue eyed violets strew, 
Some spotless lilies in loose order threw; 
Some did the way with full blown roses spread, 
Their smell divine, and color strangely red. 
Not such as our dull gardens proudly wear, 
Whom weathers taint, and wind's rude kisses tear ; 
Such I believe was the first rose's hue, 
Which at God's word in beauteous Eden grew. 
Queen of the Flowers that made that orchard gay, 
The morning blushes of the spring's new day." 



BOSES. 25 

3. 

Milton in Paradise Lost thus describes Eve : 
" Eve separate lie spies, 

Vailed in a cloud of fragrance, where she stood, 
Half spied, so thick the roses blushing round 
About her glowed ; oft stooping to support 
Each flower of tender stalk, whose head, though gay, 
Carnation, purple, azure, or speck'd with gold, 
Hung drooping unsustained ; them she upstays, 
Gently with myrtle band, mindless the while 
Herself, though fairest, unsupported flower, 
From her best prop so far, and storms so nigh." 

4. 
" And all is ecstasy, for now 
The valleys hold their feast of roses. 
That joyous time when pleasure pours 
Profusely round, like the season's Rose, 
The floweret of a hundred leaves, 
Expanding, while the dew fall flows, 
And every leaf its balm receives." 

When the Hoses of youth all their beauty display. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 4. 
Recitation. 
Sow fair is the Hose. 
" How fair is the Rose, what a beautiful flower, 
The glory of April and May ; 



26 BIBLE LESSONS. 

But the leaves are beginning to fade in a day, 
They wither and die in an hour. 

Yet the Rose has one powerful virtue to boast, 
Above all the flowers of the field ; 
When its leaves are all dead, and its fine color lost, 
Still how sweet a perfume it will yield. 

So frail is the youth, and the beauty of man, 
Though they bloom and look gay like the rose ; 
But all our fond care to preserve them is vain, 
Time kills them as fast as he goes." 

Question by Superintendent Everything that God 
has given us is for our profit as well as pleasure. 
Roses in their beauty and fragrance, teach us an im- 
portant lesson, as well as gratify our senses. What 
is it? 

Answer. " Hark, the Roses speaking, 
Telling all abroad, 
Their sweet and wondrous story, 
Of The Love of God. 

The Love of God. 

1. 

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying. 

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. 

therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee. 

[Jer. xxxi. 3. 



ROSES. 27 

2. 

And hope maketh not ashamed : because the love 
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy- 
Ghost which is given unto us. [Rom. v. 5. 

3. 

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, 
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things 
present, nor things to come, 

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, 

shall be able to separate us from the love of God 

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

[Rom. viii. 38, 39. 
4. 

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he 
laid down his life for us ; and we ought to lay down 
our lives for the brethren. [1 John iii. 16. 

Beloved, let us love one another : for love is of 
God ; and every one that loveth is born of God, and 
knoweth God. 

He that loveth not, knoweth not God ; for God is 
love. [1 John iv. 7, 8. 

In this was manifested the love of God towards us, 
because that God gave his only begotten Son into 
the world, that we might live through him. 

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he 
loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for 
our sins. [1 John iv. 9, 10. 



28 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love 
one another. 

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one 
another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected 
in us. [1 John iv. 11, 12. 

For this is the love of God, that we keep his 
commandments, and his commandments are not 
grievous. [1 John v. 3. 

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for 
the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 

[Jude 21. 
Singing. 
Happy in Thy love. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 45. 
Moses. 
1. 
" The Roses fresh are blossoming, 

In joyous troops revealed, 
They lift their dewy buds and flowers, 

In garden, mead, and field. 
They lurk in every sunlit path, 
"Where forest children tread ; 
They dot like stars the sacred turf, 
Which lies above the dead. 
2. 
" They sport with every playful wind, 
That stirs the blooming trees, 



ROSES. 29 

And laugh on every fragrant bush, 

All full of toiling bees. 
From the green marge of lake and stream, 

Fresh vale, and mountain sod, 
They look in gentle glory forth, 

The pure, sweet flowers of God. 

B. 
" They come with genial airs and skies, 

In summer's golden prime, 
And to the stricken world give back 

Lost Eden's blissful clime. 
Outshining Solomon, they come, 

And go full soon away, 
But yet like him they meekly breathe 

True wisdom while they stay. 

4. 
" ' If God,' they whisper, c smiles on us, 

And bids us bloom and shine, 
Does he not make, oh, faithless man, 

Each wish and want of thine ? ' 
Think, too, what joys await in heaven, 

The blest in human birth, 
When rapture such as woos thee now, 

Can reach the bad on earth. 

5. 

" Redeemer of a fallen race, 
Most merciful of kings, 



30 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Thy hallowed words hath clothed with power 
Those frail and beauteous things. 

All taught by thee, they yearly speak 
Their message of deep love, 

Bidding us fix for lif e and death, 
Our hearts and hopes above." 

Kecitation. 
The Origin of the Moss Hose. 

The origin of the Moss Eose is thus described by 
a German Poet : 

" The angel of the flowers, one day, 

Beneath the rose-tree sleeping lay ; 

That spirit to whose charge is given, 

To bathe young buds with dews from heaven. 

AwaMng from his light repose, 

The angel whispered to the rose, 

' Oh, fondest object of my care, 

Still fairest found where all are fair, 

For the sweet shade thou givest me, 

Ask what thou wilt, 'tis granted thee.' 

'Then,' said the rose, with deepening glow, 

' On me another grace bestow.' 

The spirit paused in silent thought, 

What grace was there that flower had not ? 

'Twas but a moment — o'er the rose, 

A vail of moss the angel throws. 



ROSES. 31 

And robed in Nature's simplest weed, 
Could there a flower that Rose exceed ? " 

Question. What lesson may we learn from this 
story of the Moss Rose ? 

Answer. That it is the humble duties of life 
which give beauty to our Christian character. 

Humility. 
1. 
Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto 
the lowly : but the proud he knoweth afar off. 

[Psa. cxxxviii. 6. 
2. 

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but 
with the lowly is wisdom. [Prov. xi. 2. 

3. 

A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall 
uphold the humble in spirit. [Prov. xxix. 23. 

4. 

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this 
little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of 
heaven. [Matt, xviii. 4. 

5. 

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased : 
and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 

[Matt, xxiii. 12. 



32 BIBLE LESSONS. 

6. 

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the 
humble. [Jas. iv. 6. 

7. 

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and he 
shall lift you up. [Jas. iv. 10. 

The Death of the Hoses. 

1. 

In the morning they are like grass which groweth 
up. 

In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up ; in 
the evening it is cut down, and withereth. 

[Psa. lxl. 5, 6. 
" The Rose's age is but a day, 
Its bloom the pledge of its decay ; 
Sweet its perfume, its color bright, 
It blows at morn, and fades at night." 

2. 
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man 
as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the 
flower thereof falleth away. [1 Peter i. 24. 

" Rose of the garden, blushing and gay, 
E'en as we pluck thee, fading away ; 
Beams of the morning, promise of day, 
E'en as we pluck thee, fading away." 



B0SES. 33 

3. 

For he knoweth our frame ; he remembereth that 
we are dust. 

As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of 
the field, so he flourisheth. 

For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone ; and 
the place thereof shall know it no more. 

[Psa. ciii. 14, 15, 16. 

" The Rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem, 
For that sweet odor which doth in it live ; 
The canker blooms have full as deep a dye, 
As the perfumed tincture of the Roses. 
They live unmoved, and uninspected fade. 
Die to themselves ; sweet Roses do not so ; 
Of their sweet deaths are sweetest odors made." 

4. 

My days are like a shadow that declineth ; and I 
am withered like grass. [Psa. cii. 11. 

" And first of all the rose ; because its breath 
Is rich beyond the rest ; and when it dies, 
It doth bequeath a charm to sweeten death." 

Singing. 
Why do Summer Roses fade? 

[Silver Bell, p, 100. 
3 



34 



BIBLE LESSONS. 



THE EOSE OF SHAEON. 




Z—A 



Note. Prepare a Cross about 6 ft. high, and 
place on it a circular piece of white card-board of a 
suitable proportion, or a shield, as in the diagram 
above ; the Cross may be made of wood, painted or 
covered with evergreen, the letters being made of 
card-board, with a wire attached to the back to hold 
them in position on the circle, and covered with 
fancy paper, or flowers, and if possible, with roses. 
A wreath of leaves and flowers on the edge of the 
circle would give a finish to the design. 

This exercise is to be recited by fifteen young la- 
dies, seven of whom form the motto, " The Rose," and 
eight, "Of Sharon." During the singing of " Jubilate 
Deo" let the first seven form a half circle around 
the cross, and remain standing until the singing is 



THE ROSE OF SHARON. 35 

completed. After which the Superintendent is to 
ask the question, " How did God manifest his love 
for sinful man?" which is to be answered by the 
seven in concert, then the single recitations are to be 
commenced. Each one when her turn comes to re- 
cite is to go in front of the cross, and after reciting 
is to place her letter in position on the circle ; when 
all have recited, and during the singing of "Beauti- 
ful Eden" these seven are to take their seats, and 
the other eight, who are to form the remainder 
of the motto, take their places, and proceed in the 
same manner. After the motto is completed, they 
can return to their seats durinsr the sinking: of 
" The Hose of Sharon? Keep the subject of the 
motto a secret until it is revealed letter by letter. 
This Exercise may be used with the preceding one 
on Roses, to which add to the question to be asked, 
a We have been told that the lesson to be learned 
from the Rose is the Love of God," "how did God 
manifest his love," etc. 

THE EXERCISE. 

StXGIXG. 

Jubilate Deo. 

[Pure Gold, p. 146. 
Question. How did God manifest his love to sin- 
ful man ? 



5b BIBLE LESSORS. 

All. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should 
not perish, but have everlasting life. [John iii. 16. 

Question. By what names is this Son of God 
called? 

T. 

First. — He is called a Temple. 
And I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God 
Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 

[Rev. xxi. 22 
" Is he a temple ? I adore 
Th' indwelling majesty and power; 
And still to this most holy place, 
Whene'er I pray, I turn my face.' 1 

Places T. 

H. 

Second. — He is called a Siding-Place. 
And a man shall be as a hiding-j)lace from the 
wind, and a covert from the tempest. 

[Isa. xxxii. 2. 

" Jesus, refuge of my soul, 

Let me to thy bosom fly, 
While the raging billows roll, 

While the tempest still is high; 



THE ROSE OF SHARON. 37 

Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, 
Till the storm of life is past ; 

Safe into the haven guide, 
O, receive my soul at last." 

Places H. 

E. 

Third. — He is called the Express Image of the 
Father. 
Who, being the brightness of his glory, and the 
express image of his person. [Heb. i. 3. 

Places E. 

R. 

Fourth. — He is called a Hock. 
And did all drink the same spiritual drink : (For 
they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them ; 
and that Rock was Christ.) [1 Cor. x. 4. 

" Is he a Rock ? how firm he proves, 
The Rock of Ages never moves ; 
Yet the sweet streams that from him flow, 
Attend us all the desert through." 

Places R. 

O. 

Fifth. — He is called the holy One. 
Saying, Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, 
thou Jesus of Nazareth ? Art thou come to destroy 



38 BIBLE LESSONS. 

us ? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of 
God. [Mark i. 24. 

Places O. 

S. 
Sixth. — He is called a Star. 
I am the root and the offspring of David, and the 
bright and morning star. [Rev. xxi. 16. 

" Is he a star ? He breaks the night, 
Piercing the shades with dawning light ; 
I know his glories from afar, 
I know the bright, the morning star." 

Places S. 

E. 

Seventh. — He is called an Ensign. 
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, 
which shall stand for an ensign of the people ; to it 
shall the Gentiles seek : and his rest shall be glorious. 

[Isa. xi. 10. 
Places E. 

Singing. 
Beautiful Eden. 

[Pure Gold, p. 82. 

O. 

Eighth. — He is called the Only Begotten. 
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among 



THE EOSE OF SHARON. 39 

us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only 
begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 

[John i. 14. 

" And did the holy and the just, 

The Sovereign of the skies, 
Stoop down to wretchedness and dust, 

That guilty man might rise ? 

Tes, the Redeemer left his throne, 

His radiant throne on high, — 
Surprising mercy ! love unknown ! — 

To suffer, bleed, and die." 

Places O. 

F. 

Ninth. — He is called a Fountain. 
In that day there shall be a fountain opened to 
the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusa- 
lem for sin and for uncleanness. [Zech. xiii. 1. 

" Is he a fountain ? There I bathe, 
And heal the plague of sin and death ; 
"These waters all my soul renew, 
And cleanse my spotted garments too." 

Places F. 

S. 
Tenth. — He is called a Sun. 



40 BIBLE LESSONS. 

But unto you that fear my name stall the Sun of 
righteousness arise with healing in his wings. 

[Mai. iv. 2. 

" Is he a sun ? His beams are grace, 
His course is joy and righteousness; 
Nations rejoice when he appears, 
To chase their clouds, and dry their tears." 

Places S. 
H. 
Eleventh. — He is called the Head. _ 
Even as Christ is the head of the church ; and he 
is the saviour of the body. [Eph. v. 23. 

" Is he the head ? Each member lives, 
And owns the vital power he gives ; 
The saints below, and saints above, 
Join'd by his spirit and his love." 

Places H. 
A. 
Twelfth. — He is called our Advocate. 
We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus 
Christ the righteous. [1 John ii. 1. 

" Look up, my soul, with cheerful eye, 

See where the great Redeemer stands ; 
The glorious Advocate on high, 
With precious incense in his hand." 

Places A. 



THE ROSE OF SHARON. 41 

R. 

Thirteenth. — He is called Redeemer. 

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto 
them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the 
Lord. [Isa. lix. 20. 

" 'Twas great to speak a world from naught, 
'Twas greater to redeem." 

Places R. 

O. 

Fourteenth. — He is called the mighty One. 

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed bap- 
tize you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, 
the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to un- 
loose, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and 
with fire. [John iii. 16. 

" Cling to the Mighty One, 

Cling in thy grief ; 
Cling to the holy one, 

He gives relief. 

Places O. 

N. 
Fifteenth. — He is called the Nazarene. 
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; 



42 BIBLE LESSONS. 

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the 
prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. 

[Matt. ii. 23. 
Places N. 

All. 
" Is he a Rose ? Not Sharon yields 
A flower so fragrant in her fields, 
Or if the lily he assumes, 
The valleys bless the rich perfume." 

Singing. 
Hose of /Sharon. 

[Happy Voices, p. 51/ 



FLOWEES. 

Note. The different parts of this Floral Exercise 
are to be distributed throughout the school, and as 
each one's turn conies, let him arise in his seat and 
repeat the part assigned to him. The various topics 
of the Exercise are to be announced in their regular 
order, as given here, by the Superintendent. 

SmGING. 

Why do Lovely Flowers bloom? 

[The Golden Rule, p. 139. 

Part I. 
Flowers, GocPs handiwork. 

1. 

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the 
herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit 
after his kind whose fruit is in itself, upon the earth, 
and it was so. 

And the earth brought forth grass and herb yield- 
ing seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, 
whose seed was in itself, after his kind : and God saw 
that it was good. [Gen. i. 11, 12. 



44 BIBLE LESSONS. 

" O Father, Lord, 

The all Beneficent ; we bless thy name, 

That thou hast mantled the green earth with flowers, 

Linking our hearts to nature. 

By the love of their wild blossoms 

Our young footsteps first 

Into her deep recesses are beguiled ; 

Where, thrilling with its earliest sense of thee, 

Amidst the low religious whisperings 

And shivering leaf -sounds of the solitude, 

The spirit wakes to worship, and is made 

Thy living temple." 

2. 
All things were made by him ; and without him 
was not any thing made that was made. 

[John i. 3. 
" Ye flowers that bloom around, 
A thousand beauteous hues, 
Your fragrant odors breathe, 
A grateful sacrifice. 
5 Twas God whose word gave all your bloom, 
And sweet perfume, all bounteous Lord." 

3. 
For by him were all things created, that are in the 
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible. 

[Col. i. 16. 



FLOWERS. 45 

" Bright and glorious is that revelation, 
Writ all over this great world of ours, 
Making evident our own creation, 
In these stars of earth, these golden flowers." 

4. 
Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, 
with all their host, and all things that are therein. 

[Nell. ix. 6. 
" There's nothing bright, below, above, 
From flowers that blow to stars that glow, 
But in its light our souls can see 
Some feature of the deity." 
5. 
For every house is builded by some man : but he 
that built all things is God. [Heb. iii. 4. 

" There's not a tint that paints the rose, 

Or decks the lily fair, 
Or streaks the humblest flower *that blows, 
But God has placed it there." 
Surging. 
Flowers, sweet Flowers. 

[Happy Voices, p. 4. 

Part II. 

Description of Floicers. 

1. 

Flowers are described in the Bible 

As Beautiful. 



46 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; 
they toil not, neither do they spin : 

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all 
his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

[Matt. vi. 28, 29. 
" The flowers are out. How beautiful 
With azure, pearl and gold ; 
They glitter in the dewy morn, 
In many an azure fold ; 
While over all the deep blue heaven 
With pure delight is curled, 
Embodiment of the blessing, God 
Of old breathed o'er the world." 

2. 

Flowers are described in Songs of Solomon v. 13, 

As /Sweet. 

As sweet as flowers. 

" How sweet are the flowers of the garden and field, 

When earth wears her summer array ; 
How laden the air with the fragrance they yield, 
How varied the hues they display." 

3. 

Flowers are described 
As Frail in Psa. ciii. 16. 
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the 
place thereof shall know it no more. 



FLOWERS. 47 

" But frail is their texture, and transient their stay, 

For brief is the life of a flower, 
Their fragrance and beauty too soon pass away, 

They gladden the heart for an hour." 

4. 
The Bible describes them 
As Appearing in Spring, 
For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over <mc?gone. 
The flowers appear on the earth ; the time of the 
singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle 
is heard in our land. [Songs of Sol. ii. 11, 12. 

" Thou lovely and glorious spring 
Descended to us from the skies, 
I praise thee for coming to bring 

Such beautiful things to my eyes. 
For bearing thine arms full of flowers, 

To strew o'er the earth hast, thou come, 
Adorning this low world of ours, 

With brightness like that of thy home. 
And thou hast brought back the gay birds, 

Their songs full of gladness to sing, 
To give, in their musical words, 

Their sweet little anthems to spring. 
The roots thou hast watered and fed, 
The leaves thou hast opened anew, 
The violet lifts its fair head, 

And seems as 'twere praising thee too." 



48 bible lessons. 

Singing. 
God of Eternity. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 100. 

Part III. 

The Mission of Flowers. 

1. 

"Flowers, bright, beautiful, sweet messengers of 
love, sent by a beneficent Father to cheer and gladden 
existence, making earth a paradise of love and beauty, 
various are the offices ye perform, and dear to the heart 
which is attuned to harmony, the mute but eloquent 
language which ye speak. The hand of affection 
twines the rosy wreath for the brow of the fair bride, 
and the cherub child, who passes away to the spirit 
land, bears on its bosom, to its silent resting place, 
a stainless flower, fit emblem of its unsullied purity. 
Flowers exhale their grateful fragrance in the sick 
chamber, enlivening the drooping spirits of the in- 
valid; and decorate the graves of the departed, 
whose memories will ever be shrined in the deepest 
recesses of the soul. They extend a gentle influence 
over all, inspire higher thoughts and holier aspira- 
tions in the hearts of all who love the beautiful in 
Nature, as it comes from the Great Giver, beaming 
with a radiance which ever sheds a halo of glory over 
his works." 



FLOWERS. 49 



44 Each leaflet is a tiny scroll, 

Inscribed with holy truth, 
A lesson that around the heart, 

Should keep the dew of youth ; 
Bright missiles from angelic throngs, 

In every by-way left, 
How were the earth of glory shorn, 

Were it of flowers bereft. 

They tremble on the Alpine heights, 

The fissured rock they press, 
The desert wild with heat and sand, 

Shares too their blessedness. 
And wheresoe'er the weary heart 

Turns in its dim despair, 
The meek-eyed blossom upward looks, 

Inviting it to prayer." 

3. 

Everything that God has given us, is for some spe- 
cific purpose ; therefore flowers, by their beauty and 
fragrance, teaching us of their Creator's power, -pev- 
form well their mission. 

"Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in 
heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. 

[Psa. cxxxv. 6. 
4 



50 BIBLE LESSONS. 

4. 

" We might have had enough, enough 

For every want of ours — 

For luxury, medicine, and toil — 

And yet have had no flowers. 

Our outward life requires them not, 

Then wherefore had they birth? " 

5. 

" To minister delight to man, 

To beautify the earth ; 

To comfort man, to whisper hope 

Whene'er his faith is dim ; 

For whoso careth for the flowers, 

Will much more care for him." 
6. 
" Christian children, high and lowly, 

Try like little flowers to be ; 
Day by day, the tall tree blossom, 

Gives to God its fragrance free. 
Day by day the little daisy, 

Looks up with its yellow eye, 
Never murmurs, never wishes 

It was hanging up on high. 
God has given each his station, 

Some have riches and high place; 
Some have lowly homes, and labor, 

All may have his precious grace." 



FLOWERS. 51 

Singing. 
Go d is Love. 

[Royal Diadem, p 22. 

Part IV. 

The Lessons from the Flowers. 



"Tour voiceless lips, O flowers, are living preachers, 

Each cup a pulpit, every leaf a book ; 
Supplying to my fancy, numerous teachers, 

From loveliest nook. 

'Neath cloistered bough, each floral bell that swingeth, 
Or tolls its perfume on the passing air, 

Makes Sabbath in the fields, and ever ringeth, 
A call to prayer. 



" Oh, ever earnest flowers, 
That with untiring growth 
Shoot up, and spread abroad 
Tour fragrance and your joy, 
Teach me your earnest ways, 
That mine may be a life 
Of steadfast work and praise." 



62 BIBLE LESSON'S. 



3. 



" Wondrous truth, and manifold as wondrous, 
God hath written in those stars above, 

But not less in the bright flowrets under us, 
Stands the revelation of his love." 



From the White Lily we learn the lesson of Purity. 

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see 
God. [Matt. v. 6. 

5. 

From the Violet, Modesty. 
" Full many a gem of purest ray serene, 

The dark unf athomed eaves of ocean bear ; 
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, 

And waste its sweetness on the desert air." 

6. 

The lesson of Wisdom is learned from flowers. 
Wisdom is the principal thing, then get wisdom ; 
and with all thy gettings, get understanding. 

[Prov. iv. 7. 

7. . 

The lesson of Faith. 
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the 
evidence of things not seen. [Heb. xi. 1. 



FLOWERS. 53 

8. 

The lesson of Love. 

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this : 
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 

[Gal. v. 14. 

9. 

The lesson of Humility. 

Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, 
than to divide the spoil with the proud. 

[Pro v. xvi. 19. » 

10. 

From the Amaranth is learned the lesson of Immor- 
tality. 

" I feel my immortality o'ersweep 

All pains, all groans, all griefs, all fears, and peal 

Like the eternal thunders of the deep, 

Into mine ears, this truth — 

Thou livest f orever." 

11. 

Charity is another of the flower's lessons. 

Charity suffereth long and is kind ; charity envieth 
not, charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. 

[1 Cor. xiii. 4. 



54 BIBLE LESSONS. 

12. 

The lesson of Cheerfulness is also to be learned. 
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. 

[Prov. xvii. 22. 
Singing. 
Song of the Lilies. 

[Golden Censer, p. 114. 

Flowers. 
I love to gaze upon a flower, 

Though 'tis a fragile thing, 
That blooms in beauty for an hour, 

But soon is withering. 
Sweet emblem of life's brevity, 

I'll prize it evermore, 
For silently it teaches me 

Jehovah to adore. 
It tells me of his watchful care, # 

Of all things he has made ; 
And warns me never to despair, 

But always seek his aid. 

The Violet. 
Down in a green and shady bed, 

A modest violet grew ; 
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head, 

As if to hide from view. 



FLOWERS. 55 

And yet it was a lovely flower, 

Its color bright and fair ; 
It might have graced a rosy bower, 

Instead of hiding there. 

Yet there it was content to bloom, 

In modest tints arrayed ; 
And there it shed its sweet perfume, 

Within the silent shade. 

Then let me to the valley go, 

This pretty flower to see, 
That I may also learn to grow 

In sweet humility. 

The Bud. 
Pretty bud, I love to see 
Much in you resembling me ; 
And from your instructive look, 
Learn as from a little book. 

I am young, and so are you, 
Life with us is fresh and new ; 
Yet fair buds oft withered lie, 
And the youngest children die. 

Riper flowers may wide expand, 
Win the eye, and court the hand ; 
But, like you, Oh, may I be, 
Graced with humble modesty. 



56 BIBLE LESSONS. 



The Daisy. 

The daisy is the meekest flower 
That grows in wood or field ; 

To wind, and rain, and footsteps rude, 
Its slender stem will yield. 

In spring it dots the green with white, 

And blossoms all the year, 
And so it is a favorite flower 

With all the children dear. 

Before the stars are in the sky 

The daisy goes to rest, 
And folds its little shining leaves 

Upon its golden breast. 

So children, when they go bed, 
Should fold their hands in prayer, 

And place themselves and all they love 
In God's protecting care. 



OUR SHEPHERD. 

The Class recite together : 
The Lord is my shepherd : I shall not want. 
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : he 
leadeth me beside the still waters. 

He restoreth my soul : he leadeth me in paths of 
righteousness for his name's sake. 

Tea, though I walk through the valley of the 
shadow of death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with 
me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 

[Psa. xxiii. 1-4. 
1st. 
" The Lord my pasture shall prepare, 
And feed me with a shepherd's care ; 
His presence shall my wants supply, 
And guard me with a watchful eye ; 
My noon-day walks shall he attend, 
And all my midnight hours defend." 

2nd. 
" Israel's Shepherd, guide me, feed me, 

Through my pilgrimage below, 
And beside the waters lead me, 

Where thy flocks rejoicing go." 

3rd. 

" To thy pastures, fair and large, 
Heavenly Shepherd, lead thy charge ; 

57 



58 BIBLE LESSONS. 

And my conch, with tenderest care, 
'Midst the springing grass prepare. 

When I faint with summer's heat, 
Thon shalt guide my weary feet 
To the streams that, still and slow, 
Through the verdant meadows flow. 

Constant to my latest end, 
Thou my footsteps shall attend ; 
And shalt bid thy hallowed dome 
Yield me an eternal home." 

>" 4th. 

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd : he shall 
gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his 
bosom. [Isa. xl. 11. 

UK 
I am the good shepherd : the good shepherd giveth 
his life for the sheep. ' [John x. 11. 

6th. 
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and 
am known of mine. [John x. 14. 

1th. 
" See, the kind Shepherd, Jesus stands, 

And calls his sheep by name ; 
Gathers the feeble in his arms, 
And feeds each tender lamb. 



OUR SHEPHERD. 59 

The feeblest lamb amidst the flock 
Shall be the Shepherd's care ; 

While folded in our Saviour's arms, 
We're safe from every snare." 

8th. 
" See Israel's Shepherd stand, 

With all engaging charms ; 
See how he takes the tender lambs, 

And folds them in his arms. 

4 Permit them to approach, 

Forbid them not,' he cried ; 
* Of such my Father's kingdom is, 

And such with him abide.' " 

9th. 

" Jesus, I would follow thee ; 
I thy little lamb would be ; 
Samuel was thy child of old, 
Take me too within thy fold." 

10th. 
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and 
they follow me. [John x. 27. 

11th. 
And I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall 
never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my 
hand. [John x. 28. 



60 BIBLE LESSONS. 

12th. 

" Jesus says that we must love him, 

Helpless as the lambs are we ; 
But he very kindly tells us 

That our Shepherd he will be. 
Heavenly Shepherd, please to watch us, 

Guard us both by night and day; 
Pity show to little children, 

Who like lambs too often stray. 
We are always prone to wander, 

Please to keep us from each snare ; 
Teach our infant hearts to praise thee 

For thy kindness and thy care." 

mh. 

" The Lord is my Shepherd, 

How happy am I, 
How tender and watchful 

My wants to supply. 
He daily provides me 

With raiment and food, 
Whatever he denies me, 

Is meant for my good." 

Uth. 

" The Lord is my Shepherd, 

How happy am I, 
I am blest while I live, 

And blest when I die. 



OUR SHEPHERD. 61 

In death's gloomy valley, 

No evil I dread, 
4 For I will be with you,' 

The Shepherd has said." 

15th. 
For he is our God ; and we are the people of his 
pasture, and the sheep of his hand. [Psa. lxlv. 7. 

16th. 

He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep 
him, as a shepherd doth his flock. [Jer. xxxi. 10. 

17th. 

As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that 
he is among his sheep that are scattered ; so will I 
seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all 
places where they have been scattered in the cloudy 
and dark day. [Ezek. xxxiv. 12. 

ISth. 
I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the 
high mountain of Israel shall their fold be: there 
shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall 
they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 

[Ezek. xxxiv. 14. 
19th. 
I will feed my flock and I will cause them to lie 
down, saith the Lord God. [Ezek. xxxiv. 15. 



62 BIBLE LESSONS. 

20th. 
" Jesus loves his little lambs, 
Shelters them with tenderest care ; 
No rude thorns can pierce their feet, 
Jesus on his bosom bears — 
Holds them, oh, so lovingly, 
Says, ' My lambs lean thou on me.' 
Oh, how sweetly can I rest, 
Pillowed on his gentle breast." 

All clasp hands and recite : 
" Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear us, 

Bless these little lambs to-night, 
Through the darkness be thou near us, 

Watch our sleep till morning light. 

Let our sins be all forgiven, 

Bless the friends we love so well ; 

Take us, when we die, to heaven, 
Happy there with thee to dwell." 

FEED MY LAMBS. 
F- 

FIRST. • 

Christ you know loved little children, 
When he lived on earth below, 

And he gave to his disciples, 
A command all ought to know. 



PEED MY LAMBS. 63 

We have come this day to spell it, 

Happy gladsome children we, 
I the letter F contribute, 

Here it is, as you may see. 

E. 

SECOND. 

In good works none should be backward, 

As you willingly agree, 
So I've come my aid to render, 

And have brought the letter E. 

E. 

THIRD. 

Still another IE is needed, 

This command of Christ to spell, 

Here it is, the needed letter, 
Can't you see it very well? 

D. 

FOURTH. 

Fourth among the list of letters, 

Stands the one you ask of me ; 
So I think 'twill not surprise you, 

When I show the letter D. 

M. 

FIFTH. 

All my little friends above me, 
Stepped out from the alphabet ; 



64 BIBLE LESSONS. 

I go half way down the column, 
And the letter MI get. 

Y. 

SIXTH. 

Further down than all the others, 

To the last but one I go ; 
And the letter T'will furnish, 

Which completes two words, you know, 

L. 

SEVENTH. 

Next the letter L is wanted, 
In the work we have to do ; 

It begins the name Christ taught us — 
Here I turn it round to you. 

A. 

EIGHTH. 

Before all the other letters 
Is the one I bring you now ; 

It is A, and lambs without it 
Can't be spelled, as you'll allow. 
M. 

NINTH. 

Once before upon the platform, 
Has my letter been in sight ; 

But another -Mis needed, 
So I'll turn it to the light. 



FEED MY LAMBS. 65 

B. 

TENTH. 

Since my little friend above me 

In the line has called out A, 
'Tis but just a B to furnish, 

So I've brought it up this way. 



ELEVENTH. 

Last of all in this procession, 

With the letter 8 1 stand, 
Which you know completes the spelling 

Of our Saviour's blest command. 

ALL RECITE. 

" Feed my lambs," 'twas Jesus said it, 
" Feed my lambs," you read it here ; 

That ye heed it and obey it, 
Let it in your lives appear. 

ALL SING. 

Tune. — Trancadillo. 

We're the lambs of the flock, 

And no danger we fear, 
While the voice of our Shepherd 

Is calling so near. 
5 



b BIBLE LESSONS. 

Chorus. 
Then we'll follow, then we'll follow, 
Then we'll follow, follow, follow, follow, 
Then we'll follow our Saviour, 
While he is so near. 

We are tiny and weak, 

But our Shepherd is strong ; 

From the winds he defendeth 
Us all the day long. 

Chorus. 
Then we'll follow, then we'll follow, 
Then we'll follow, follow, follow, follow, 
Then we'll follow our Shepherd 
All, all the day long. 

LITTLE CHILDREN. 

ALL. 

We are but infants — little things, 

But look at the puzzle that each one brings ; 

Under this banner a letter lies, 

Which you must guess when it meets your eyes. 

L. 

FIRST. 

Mine is for love : 'twas that which led 
The blessed Saviour his blood to shed ; 
And it stands for those whom Jesus will bless, 
And that is the word you all must guess. 



LITTLE CHILDREN. 67 



I. 

SECOND. 

I stands for infant, as you may see ; 
As I am an infant it stands for me. 
But Jesus loves me, don't you know, 
In the Holy Bible he tells me so. 

T. 

THIRD. 

T is for trouble ; but some folks say 
We have no troubles to drive away. 
But mother kisses my tears for me, 
And makes me happy as I can be. 



FOURTH. 

Mine you can guess ; it's try, try again. 
And what will you do if you don't succeed then? 
Why, you've got to keep trying until you are men, 
And keep trying over and over again. 



FIFTH. 

L is for little ; 'tis little we know ; 
But we hope to be wiser as older we grow; 
For we mean to keep learning a little each day, 
And work for dear Jesus as long as we stay. 



68 BIBLE LESSONS. 

E. 

SIXTH. 

E is for error and evil : and then, 
E is for end, which shall come to all men. 
Those that do right with Jesus shall stay ; 
But those that do wrong shall be driven away. 

c. 

SEVENTH. 

C stands for children, whom Jesus did call ; 

C is for come, which he says to us all. 

So come then to Jesus, no longer delay, 

He's waiting to see you, so come while you may. 

H. 

EIGHTH. 

H is for holy, and happy as well ; 
Also for heaven, where we hope to dwell ; 
For H is for heart, which Jesus will take, 
And keep for his home, if we ask for his sake. 

I. 

NINTH. 

I stands for infant, as you have been told ; 
But I also stands for an idol of gold ; 
Or any idol, which we must shun, 
And love and serve no gods but one. 



LITTLE CHILDREN. 69 

L. 

TENTH. 

L is for love, that Jesus gave ; 

Also for little ones whom he will save ; 

This is for labor, which we must do, 

That others may love him, and serve him, too. 

D. 

ELEVENTH. 

D is a dream, which I had one night, 
To do my duty, and stick to the right ; 
To have Jesus dwell in my heart each day, 
And help me walk in the narrow way. 

R. 

TWELTTH. 

I must repent and forsake my sins, 
If I would have Jesus to dwell within ; 
Come, Jesus, rule and reign over me, 
And fit me at last to dwell with thee. 

E. 

THIRTEENTH. 

Ever, dear Jesus, thy child I would be, 
Enter my soul, and make me like thee ; 
Everthing else from my heart drive away, 
And fill with thy spirit, dear Jesus, I pray. 



70 BIBLE LESSONS. 

N. 
FOURTEENTH. • 

Never permit me in error to stray ; 
Keep me, dear Jesus, in thy narrow way ; 
N is for naughty, which sometimes I am, 
But now I love Jesus, he calls me his lamb. 

[Sunday School Speaker. 

Little Samuel. 

When little Samuel woke, 
And heard his Maker's voice, 

At every word he spoke, 
How much did he rejoice. 

Oh, blessed, happy child, to find 

The God of heaven so near and kind. 

If God would speak to me, 
And say he was my friend, 

How happy I should be, — 
Oh, how should I attend. 

The smallest sin I then should fear, 

If God Almighty were so near. 



NAMES OF CHRIST. 
First Scholar. 

w In one cluster now we gather 

These sweet names of Christ our King, 
And with humble, grateful reverence, 

Would the fragrant tribute bring. 
First, to prophet's favored vision, 

The Atoning Lamb was shown ; 
Saviour, High Priest, Mediator, 

Prince of David's house and throne" 

Second Scholar. 

" Root of David, Branch, Messiah, 

King whose reign should never cease, 
Mighty God, and Counsellor, 

King of Salem, King of Peace. 
Lion of the tribe of Judah, 

Daysman between us and God, 
Our great Captain, and Example, 

David's Offering, Jesse's Rod." 

Third Scholar. 

" Wonderful, th' Eternal Father, 
Our Forerunner, Corner-Stone ; 

Blessed Author of Salvation, 
Name that saves, the only one. 

71 



72 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Man of Sorrows, Elder Brother, 

Hope of fainting Israel, 
Tender plant, Divine Redeemer, 

God with us — Immanuel." 

Fourth Scholar. 
" Faithful Witness to Jehovah, 

First-begotten of the dead ; 
Prince of Life, of earthly kingdoms, 

Christ our Crucified, our Head. 
King of Righteousness, th' Anointed, 

Thou, the Bright and Morning Star, 
Glorious Ensign, Rose of Sharon, 

Lily of the Valley fair." 

Fifth Scholar. 
" Polished Shaft, and Stately Temple, 

Resurrection, Stronghold, Tower, 
Covenant Angel, Coming Bridegroom,- 

Hasten Christ, thine advent hour. 
As our Sin's Propitiation, 

Offering, Surety, Shielding Vail, 
Jesus, Lord, we crave thy favor, 

Help us while all else doth fail." 

Sixth Scholar. 
" Thou, the Altogether Lovely, 

Lord of Life and Mercy Mild, 
Chiefest of ten thousand thousand, 

Thou, the Incarnate, Undefiled ; 



NAMES OF CHRIST. 73 

Brightness of the Father's Glory, 

Spiritual Rock and Word, 
Image of the Father's Person, 

Living Water, Son of God." 

Seventh Scholar. 
" Son of Man, Just One and Holy, 

Advocate in heaven now, 
Lord of Lords, shall all confess thee, 

To thee every knee shall bow. 
Glorious Sun of Righteousness, 

Let thy bright beam on me fall, 
Daystar rising on our darkness, 

Ever be our All in All." 

Eighth Scholar. 
" Master, Light, our Hope of Glory, 

We the branches, thou the Vine, 
Opened Fountain, Hidden Manna, 

Bread of Life, and Heavenly Wine ; 
Jesus Christ, the only Righteous, 

Word of Life, eternal, pure, 
Lover of our souls we own thee, 

Keep us by that love so sure." 

Ninth Scholar. 
" Of thy flock, both Friend and Shepherd, 

In thy fold safe evermore ; 
Well thou knowest how far we wandered 

'Ere we reached the Heavenly Door. 



74 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Now our Hiding Place we make thee, 
Covert from the tempest's shock, 

In a weary land we rest us, 
In the Shadow of our Rock." 

Tenth Scholar. 
"Thou the Father's Well-Beloved, 

Q Hear ye Him,' the Spirit saith,) 
Way and Truth, and Life most precious, 

Author, Finisher of Faith. 
Ancient of Days, Uncreated, 

Sharer of the heavenly plan, 
Promised Shiloh, Perfect Ransom, 

Human Lord, the God in man." 

JEJleventh Scholar. 
" Christ was slain our Passover, 

For our sins a Sacrifice, 
Soon our Judge, by hosts surrounded, 

Lo ! He sweeps the opening skies ; 
On a cloud of flame he rideth, 

Clothed in vesture dipped in blood. 
Hear the attending angels name him 

Faithful, True, the Word of God." 

Twelfth Scholar. 
" Unto us no Stone of Stumbling, 

Nor Offense can Jesus be, 
If a gracious Intercessor, 

From our sins he sets us' free. 



GOB IS LOVE. 75 

Praise him then whoever liveth, 
Who hath lived through ages past, 

Glorious Alpha and Omega, 

End, Beginning, First and Last." 

GOD IS LOVE. 

Note. This Exercise is taken from the new Sun- 
day-school Singing Book, Sunshine. It is there set 
to music, and may be sung instead of recited, which 
would add much to its interest. 

G. 
1st. My little friends and schoolmates dear 

To-day have met with me, 
To spell for you a pleasant line, 
Which I'll begin with G. 

O. 

2nd. And I will do my little mite, 

The precious words to show ; 

And for this worthy purpose, I 

Will lend my great round O. 

D. 
3rd. My letter ends the holy name 
Of him we love and fear ; 
'Tis D — I'll turn it round to view, 
And you will see it here. 



76 BIBLE LESSONS. 

I. 

4tth. My mission is an humble one, 

Yet to do good I'll try ; 
To help all, when I'm needed, so 
I now will furnish I. 

S. 
5th. My little aid is needed now, 

To give this word success ; 
So joyfully I bring to view 
My crooked letter S. 

L. 

6th. And now another word we spell, 

A word endeared to all ; 
And as I see my turn has come, 
The letter L I'll call. 

O. 

7th. Although my letter you have seen 
Upon the platform here, 
Still our sweet word without an O, 
You could not tell, I fear. 

V. 

8th. As no one in our little band 

Has brought the letter V, 
I hope it will not come amiss, 
If now supplied by me. 



LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 77 



E. 



9th. I will close the joyful tidings — 

Soon our motto you will see ; 
All can read it very plainly 
When I add the letter E. 

AIL God is love — his mercy brightens 

All the path in which we rove. 
Bliss he makes and woe he lightens : 
God is wisdom — God is love, 

LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 

Note. This is a Scripture Acrostic ; the first let- 
ter of the first word being used to form another word. 
The preceding Exercises have all been of poetry; this 
of Bible verses can be as readily committed to 
memory as poetry, as the verses fleeted are all fa- 
miliar. 

L. 

FIRST. 

Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, 
believe also in me. 

In my father's house are many mansions : if it were 
not so, 1 would have told you. I go to prepare a 
place for you. [John xiv. 1, 2. 



78 BIBLE LESSONS. 

O. 

SECOND. 

Or what man is there of yon, whom if his son ask 
bread, will he give him a stone ? 

Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent ? 

[Matt. vii. 9, 10. 

V. 

THIKD. 

Verily, verily, I say unto yon, He that entereth not 
by the door into the sheepf old, but climbeth up some 
other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 

[John x. 1. 

E. 

FOURTH. 

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit : 
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 

[Matt. vii. 17 

O. 

FIFTH. 

Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: 
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; 
and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 

[John x. 16. 



LOVE OKE ANOTHEB. 79 

Ni 

SIXTH. 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth 
the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

[Matt. vii. 21. 

E. 

SEVENTH. 

Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate 
and broad is the way, that leadeth unto destruction, 
and many there be which go in thereat. 

[Matt. vii. 13. 

A. 

EIGHTH. 

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: 
continue ye in my love. [John xv. 9. 

N. 

NINTH. 

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth : It is expedient 
for you that I go away : for if I go not away, the 
Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I depart, 
I will send him unto you. [John xvi. 7. 



80 BIBLE LESSONS. 

o. 

TENTH. 

O righteous Father, the world hath not known 
thee : but I have known thee, and these have known 
that thou hast sent me. [John xvii. 25. 

T. 

ELEVENTH. 

Take therefore no thought for the morrow : for the 
morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. 
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

[Matt. vi. 34. 

H. 

TWELFTH. 

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth 
them, he it is that loveth me : and he that loveth me 
shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and 
will manifest myself to him. [John. xiv. 21. 

E. 

THIRTEENTH. 

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he 
taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, 
he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit 

[John xv. 2. 



LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 81 

R. 

FOURTEENTH. 

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your 
reward in heaven : for so persecuted they the proph- 
ets which were before you. [Matt. v. 12. 

ALL EECITE. 

Little children, love each other, 

Never give another pain ; 
If your brother speak in anger, 

Answer not in wrath again. 
Be not selfish to each other ; 

Never spoil another's rest ; 
Strive to make each other happy, 

And you will yourself be blest. 

All sing. 

JLove One Another. 

[River of Life, p. 88. 

THE NEW LAW. 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt 
love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. 

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them 
that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and 
6 



82 BIBLE LESSORS. 

pray for them which despitefully use you and perse- 
cute you ; 

That ye may be the children of your Father which 
is in heaven : for he maketh his sun to rise on the 
evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just 
and on the unjust. 

For if ye love them which love you, what reward 
have you ? do not even the publicans the same ? 

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye 
more than others f do not even the publicans so ? 

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which 
is in heaven is perfect. [Matt. v. 43-48. 

Therefore all things which ye would that men 
should do to you, do ye even so to them : for this is 
the law and the prophets. [Matt. vii. 12. 

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him 
a question, tempting him, and saying, 

Master, which is the great commandment in the 
law? 

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and 
with all thy mind. 

This is the first and great commandment. 
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy 
neighbor as thyself. 



THE NSW LAW, 83 

On these two commandments hang all the law and 
the prophets. [Matt. xxii. 35-40. 

Owe no man anything, but to love one another 
for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou 
shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not 
bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet ; and if there 
be any other commandment, it is briefly compre- 
hended in this saving, Thou shalt love thy neighbor 
as thyself. [Rom. xiii. 8, 9. 

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor : therefore love 
is the fulfilling of the law. [Rom. xiii. 10. 

If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scrip- 
ture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do 
well: 

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, 
and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet 
offend in one pointy he is guilty of all. 

[James ii. 8, 9, 10. • 

CLASS RECITE TOGETHER. 

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this : 
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 

[Gal. v. 14. 



84 BIBLE LESSONS. 



God is ever good. 

See the shining dewdrops 
On the flowers strewed, 

Proving, as they sparkle, 
God is ever good. 

See the morning sunbeams 
Lighting up the wood, 

Silently proclaiming 
God is ever good. 

Hear the mountain streamlet, 

In the solitude, 
With its ripple saying 

God is ever good. 

In the leafy tree-tops, 
Where no fears intrude, 

Merry birds are singing 
God is ever good. 



PRAISE CONCERT. 

Note. In using this Praise Exercise, the interest 
will be increased if mottoes similar to " O, Sing unto 
the Lord a New Song," "Praise ye the Lord," "Praise 
Him all ye people," " Let everything that hath breath 
praise the Lord," " Praise Him with the sound of the 
Trumpet," &c, &c, were to be placed upon the walls. 
The motto, " O, Sing unto the Lord a New Song," 
placed on an arch over the Superintendent's desk, 
would be appropriate ; the other mottoes may be put 
one on each side of the arch, and on the sides of the 
church or chapel where the concert is held. These 
letters are easily made by cutting them from colored 
cardboard or paper, and can be fastened on the wall 
with small tacks. This Exercise is designed for reci- 
tation by classes. 

Singing. 
Jubilate Deo. 

[Pure Gold, p. 146 

Superintendent and School read responsively 148^A 
Psalm. 

SUPERINTENDENT. 

Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the 
heavens : praise him in the heights. 

85 



86 BIBLE LESSONS. 

SCHOOL. 

Praise ye him, all his angels : praise ye him, all his 
hosts. 

SUPERINTENDENT. 

Praise ye him, sun and moon : praise him, all ye 
stars of, light. 

SCHOOL. 

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters 
that be above the heavens. 

SUPERINTENDENT. 

Let them praise the name of the Lord : for he com- 
manded, and they were created. 

SCHOOL. 

He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: 
he hath made a decree which shall not pass. 

SUPERINTENDENT. 

Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all 
deeps. 

SCHOOL. 

Fire, and hail ; snow, and vapor ; stormy wind ful- 
filling his word. 

SUPERINTENDENT. 

Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all 
cedars. 

SCHOOL. 

Beasts, and all cattle ; creeping things, and all fly- 
ing fowl. 



PRAISE CONCERT. 87 

SUPERINTENDENT. 

Kings of the earth, and all people ; princes, and all 
judges of the earth. 

SCHOOL. 

Both young men and maidens, old men and children. 

SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL. 

Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his 
name alone is excellent ; his glory is above the earth 
and the heaven. 

He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise 
of all his saints ; even of the children of Israel, a peo- 
ple near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. • 

Prater. 

Singing. 
We praise thee. 

[Fresh Laurels, p. 104. 

Recitation. 
There is a God. 
"There is a God, all nature speaks 

Through earth, and air, and seas, and skies ; 
See from the clouds his glory breaks, 

When the first beams of morning rise. 
Behold the sun, serenely bright, 

O'er the wide world's extended frame, 
Inscribes in characters of light, 

His mighty Maker's glorious name. 



88 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Diffusing light his influence spreads, 
And health and plenty smiles around ; 

The fruitful trees and verdant meads, 
Are with a thousand blessings crowned. 

Almighty goodness, power divine, 

The fields and verdant meads display ; 

And bless the hand that made them shine, 
With various charms profusely gay. 

For beast and man, here daily food, 

In wide extensive plenty grows ; 
And there for drink, the crystal flood 

In streams sweet winding gently flows. 

By cooling streams and softening showers, 

The vegetable race are fed ; 
The trees, and plants, and herbs, and flowers, 

Their Maker's constant bounty shed." 

Selections eeom the Psalms. 

1 will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt 
bountifully with me. [Psa. xiii. 6. 

But I will sing of thy power ; yea, I will sing aloud 
of thy mercy in the morning : for thou hast been my 
defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. 

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing : for God is 
my defence, and the God of my mercy. 

[Psa. lix. 16, 17. 



PRAISE CONCERT. 0\) 

I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live : I will 
sing praise to my God while I have my being. 

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be 
glad in the Lord. 

Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and 
let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O 
my soul. Praise ye the Lord. 

[Psa. civ. 33, 34, 35. 

Open to me the gates of righteousness ; I will go 
into them, and I will praise the Lord : 

This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous 
shall enter. 

I will praise thee : for thou hast heard me, and art 
become my salvation. [Psa cxviii. 19, 20, 21. 

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart ; I 
will show forth all thy marvelous works. 

I will be glad and rejoice in thee : I will sing praise 
to thy name, O thou Most High. [Psa. ix. 1, 2. 

Ninety-Eighth Psalm. 

Oh sing unto the Lord a new song ; for he hath 
done marvelous things : his right hand, and his holy 
arm, hath gotten him the victory. 

The Lord hath made known his salvation: his 
righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of 
the heathen. 

He hath remembered his mercy and his truth 



90 BIBLE LESSONS. 

toward the house of Israel : all the ends of the earth 
have seen the salvation of our God. 

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth : 
make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 

Sing unto the Lord with the harp ; with the harp 
and the voice of a psalm. 

With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful 
noise before the Lord, the King. 

Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; the 
world, and they that dwell therein. 

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be 
joyful together 

Before the Lord ; for he cometh to judge the earth : 
with righteousness shall he judge the earth, and the 
people with equity. 

Singing. 
We praise Thee, God, for the Son of Thy love. 

[Pure Gold, p. 19. 

Forty-seventh Psalm. 

Oh clap your hands, all ye people ; shout unto God 
with the voice of triumph. 

For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great 
King over all the earth. 

He shall subdue the people under us, and the na- 
tions under our feet. 

He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excel- 
lency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah 



PEAISE CONCERT. 91 

God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the 
sound of a trumpet. 

Sing praises to God, sing praises : sing praises unto 
our Bang, sing praises. 

For God is the King of all the earth : sing ye praises 
with understanding. 

God reigneth over the heathen : God sitteth upon 
the throne of his holiness. 

The princes of the people are gathered together, 
even the people of the God of Abraham: for the 
shields of the earth belong unto God : he is greatly 
exalted. 

Selections from the Psalms. 
Sing unto the Lord. 

Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give 
thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 

For his anger endureth but a moment ; in his favor 
is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy 
cometh in the morning. [Psa. xxx. 4, 5. 

Oh sing unto the Lord a new song : sing unto the 
Lord, all the earth. 

Sing unto the Lord, bless his name ; shew forth his 
salvation from day to day. 

Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders 
among all people. 

For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised : 
he is to be feared above all gods. 



92 BIBLE LESSONS. 

For all the gods of the nations are idols : but the 
Lord made the heavens. 

Honor and majesty are before him : strength and 
beauty are in his sanctuary. [Psa. lxlvi. 1-6. 

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his 
presence with singing. 

Know ye that the Lord he is God; it is he that 
hath made us, and not we ourselves ; we are his peo- 
ple, and the sheep of his pasture. 

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into 
his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and 
bless his name. 

For the Lord is good ; his mercy is everlasting ; 
and his truth endureth to all generations. 

[Psa. c. 1-5. 
Ninety-fifth Psalm. 

Oh come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a 
joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, 
and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 

For the Lord is a great God, and a great king 
above all gods. 

In his hand are the deep places of the earth : the 
strength of the hills is his also. 

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands 
formed the dry land. 



PBAISE CONCERT. 93 

Oh come, let us worship and bow down: let us 
kneel before the Lord our Maker. 

For he is our God, and we are the people of his 
pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To-day if ye will 
hear his voice, 

Harden not your heart, as in provocation, and as 'n 
the day of temptation in the wilderness. 

Recitation. 

" Oh, worship the King, all glorious above, 
And gratefully sing his wonderful love, 
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, 
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. 

Oh, tell of his might, and sing of his grace, 
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy, space ; 
His chariots of wrath the deep thunder-clouds form, 
And dark is his path on the wings of the storm. 

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite ? 
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light, 
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, 
And sweetly distils in the dew and the rain. 

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, 
In thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail ; 
Thy mercies how tender ! how firm to the end ! 
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend. 



94 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Father Almighty, how faithful thy love ! 
While angels delight to hymn thee above, 
The humbler creation, though feebler their lays, 
With true adoration shall lisp to thy praise." 

Singing. 
Give praise to God. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 132. 

Praise to God is to be expected 
From Angels. 
Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, 
that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice 
of his word. [Psa. ciii. 20. 

From Saints. 
Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give 
thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 

[Psa. xxx. 4. 
From Children. 
And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? 
And Jesus saith unto him, Yea ; have ye never read, 
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou 
perfected praise ? [Matt. xxi. 16. 

From High and Low. 

Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the 
heavens : praise him in the heights. 

Kings of the earth, and all people ; princes, and all 
judges of the earth. [Psa. cxlviii. 1, 11. 



PRAISE CONCEET. 95 

From Young and Old. 
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the 
heavens : praise him in the heights. 

Both young men and maidens ; old men, and chil- 
dren. [Psa. cxlviii. 1, 12. 
From Small and Great. 
And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise 
our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, 
both small and great. [Rev. xix. 5. 
From all Men. 
Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his good- 
ness, and for his wonderful works to the children of 
men. [Psa. cvii. 8. 

Selections feom the Psalms. 

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart ; I 
will show forth all thy marvelous works. 

I will be glad and rejoice in thee : I will sing praise 
to thy name, O thou Most High. [Psa. xix. 1, 2. 

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation : 
I will praise thee among much people. 

[Psa. xxxv. 18. 

In God will I praise his word : in the Lord will I 
praise his word. 

In God have I put my trust : I will not be afraid 
what man can do unto me. 

Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render 
praises unto thee. 



96 BIBLE LESSORS. 

For thou hast delivered my soul from death : wilt 
not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk 
before God in the light of the living ? 

[Psa. lvi. 10-13. 

Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with 
my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and 
in the congregation. [Psa. cxi. 1 

Open to me the gates of righteousness : I will go 
into them, and I will praise the Lord : 

This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous 
shall enter. 

I will praise thee : for thou hast heard me, and art 
become my salvation. [Psa. cxviii. 19-21. 

Recitation". 
"Praise the Lord, ye heavens adore him; 

Praise him, angels, in the height ; 
Sun and moon rejoice before him; 

Praise him, all ye stars of light. 

Praise the Lord, for he hath spoken; 

Worlds his mighty voice obeyed 7 ; 
Laws, which never can be broken, 

For their guidance he hath made. 

Praise the Lord, for he is glorious ; 

Never shall his promise fail ; 
God hath made his saints victorious ; 

Sin and death shall not prevail. 



PRAISE CONCERT. 97 

Praise the God of our salvation ; 

Hosts on high, his power proclaim ; 
Heaven and earth, and all creation, 

Praise and magnify his name." 

Singing. 
0, worship the Lord, 

[Royal Diadem, p. 28. 

Praise to God should be offered 
With the Understanding. 
For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye 
oraises with understanding. [Psa. xlvii. 7. 

With the Soul. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, 

thou art very great ; thou art clothed with honor and 

majesty. [Psa. civ. 1. 

With the Whole Heart. 

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart ; I 

will shew forth all thy marvelous works. 

[Psa. ix. 1. 
With Joy. 

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: 

make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 

[Psa. lxlviii. 4. 
With Gladness. 

The voice of joy and the voice of gladness; the 

voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; 

7 



98 BIBLE LESSONS. 

the voice of them that shall sa}-, Praise the Loid of 
hosts : for the Lord is good ; for his merc}^ endureth 
forever. [Jer. xxxiii. 11. 

With Thankfulness. 
Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving : sing praise 
upon the harp unto our God. [Psa. cxlvii. 7. 

Continually. 

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness 

and of thy praise all the day long. 

[Psa. xxxv. 28. 

During life. 

I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live : I will 

sing praise to my God while I have my being. 

[Psa. civ. 33. 
More and More. 

But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee 
more and more. [Psa. lxxi. 14. 

Day and Night. 
And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, 
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, 
and is to come. [Rev. iv. 8. 

Recitation. 

" There seems a voice in every gale, 
A tongue in every opening flower, 

Which tells, O Lord, the wondrous tale 
Of thy indulgence, love and power ; 

The birds, that rise on quivering wing, 
Appear to hymn their Maker's praise, 



PRAISE CONCERT. 99 

And all the mingling sounds of spring 
To thee a general anthem raise. 

And shall my voice, great God, alone 

Be mute 'midst Nature's loud acclaim, 
Nor let my heart, with answering tone, 

Breathe forth in praise thy holy name ? 
All Nature's debt is small to mine, 

For Nature soon shall cease to be ; 
But — matchless proof of love divine — 

Thou gav'st immortal life to me." 

Selections from the Psalms. 
Praise to God for Sis Mercy and Goodness. 

I will praise the Lord according to his righteous- 
ness : and will sing praise to the name of the Lord 
most high. [Psa. vii. 17. 

Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion : 
declare among the people his doings. [Psa. ix. 11. 

I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt 
bountifully with me. [Psa. xiii. 6. 

Ye that fear the Lord, praise him ; all the seed of 
Jacob, glorify him ; and fear him, all ye the seed of 
Israel. [Psa. xxii. 23. 

The Lord is my strength and my shield ; my heart 
trusted in him, and I am helped : therefore my heart 
greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise 
him. [Psa. xxviii. 7. 



100 BIBLE LESSONS. 

I will bless the Lord at all times : his praise shall 
continually be in my month. 

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the 
humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his 
name together. [Psa. xxxiv. 1, 2, 3. 

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the 
city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 

[Psa. xlviii. 1. 

According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise 
unto the ends of the earth : thy right hand is full of 
righteousness. [Psa. xlviii. 10. 

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed : I will 
sing, and give praise. 

Awake up, my glory ; awake, psaltery and harp : I 
myself will awake early. 

I will praise thee, O God, among the people : I will 
sing unto thee among the nations. 

[Psa. lvii. 7, 8, 9. 

But I will sing of thy power ; yea, I will sing aloud 
of thy mercy in the morning : for thou hast been my 
defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. 

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing : for God is 
my defence, and the God of my mercy. 

[Psa. lix. 16, 17. 

I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy 
truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the 
harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. 



PRAISE CONCERT. 101 

My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee ; 
and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. 

[Psa. lxxi. 22, 23. 

Question by Superintendent. What evidence is 
there that we shall praise God in heaven ? 

Answer (by a young lady). And when he had 
taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty 
elders fell down before the lamb, having every one 
of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which 
are the prayers of saints. 

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art wor- 
thy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof : 
for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by 
thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and peo- 
ple, and nation ; 

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests ; 
and we shall reign on the earth. [Rev. v. 8, 9, 10. 

Question. How many are to j oin in this New S ong ? 

Answer (by tico young ladies repeating together?) 
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels 
round about the throne, and the beasts, and the 
elders: and the number of them was ten thousand 
times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. 

[Rev. v. 11. 

Question. What will the N"ew Song be ? 

Answer (by a class repeating in concert?) After 



102 BIBLE LESSORS. 

this, I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no 
man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and 
people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and be- 
fore the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and with 
palms in their hands ; 

And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our 
God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 

And all the angels stood round about the throne, 
and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell be- 
fore the throne on their faces, and worshipped God. 

[Rev. vii. 9, 10, 11. 

Question. And what the Chorus ? 

Answer {School rise and recite.) Saying, Amen : 
Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, 
and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God 
for ever and ever. Amen. [Rev. vii. 12. 

School and Congregation Sing. 

All hail the power of Jesus' name ! 

Let angels prostrate fall ; 
Bring forth the royal diadem, 

And crown him Lord of all. 

Oh, that with yonder sacred throng, 

We at his feet may fall ! 
We'll join the everlasting song, 

And crown him Lord of all. 



A CHEISTMAS EXEECISE. 



THE MORNING STAR. 




Directions. Prepare a Cross and Star similar in 
style to plan above. The Cross is to be made of 
wood and covered with flowers and evergreen, the 
Star of white card-board, care being taken to have it 
large enough to receive the letters forming the motto, 
"The Morning Star." The letters to be made of 
card-board covered with fancy paper, and are to be 
placed in position on the Star, as each scholar recites. 



Singing. 
Clap your hands for joy, 

[Royal Diadem, p. 116. 
103 



104 bible lessons. 

Recitation for 14 young ladies. 
The Birth of Christ. 

And it came to pass in those days, that there 
went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the 
world should be taxed. 

And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was 
governor of Syria. 

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own 
city. 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the 
city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, 
which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the 
house and lineage of David,) 

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being 
great with child. 

And so it was, that, while they were there, the 
days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and 
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a 
manger ; because there was no room for them in the 
inn. 

And there were in the same country shepherds 
abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock 
by night. 

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, 



THE MOKXIXG STAR. 105 

and the glory of the Lord shone round about them : 
and they were sore afraid. 

And the angel said unto thern, Fear not: for, be- 
hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which 
shall be to all people. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David 
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 

And this shall be a sign unto you ; Ye shall find 
the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a 
manger. 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multi- 
tude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 
good will toward men. [Luke ii. 1-14. 

Brief remarks by the Pastor, or Superintendent, 
upon the Birth, Life, and Mission of Jesus Christ. 

Question by Superintendent, By what names is 
this Jesus, who has done so much for us, called? 



1st Scholar, placing T on the star, He is called a 
Teacher. 

The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto 
him, Kabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come 
from God: for no man can do these miracles that 
thou doest, except God be with him. [John iii. 2. 



106 BIBLE LESSONS. 

" How sweetly flowed the gospel sound 
From lips of gentleness and grace, 

When listening thousands gathered round, 
And joy and gladness filled the place. 

From heaven he came, of heaven he spoke, 
To heaven he led his followers' way; 

Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke, 
Unvailing an immortal day." 

H. 

2nd Scholar^ placing H on the star, He is called a 
Hiding Place. 

And a man shall be as a hiding place from the 
wind, and a covert from the tempest ; as rivers of 
water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in 
a weary land. [Isa. xxxii. 2. 

"Jesus, refuge of my soul, 

Let me to thy bosom fly, 
While the raging billows roll, 

While the tempest still is high ; 
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, 

Till the storm of life is past ; 
Safe into the haven guide, 

O, receive my soul at last." 



THE MORNING STAR. 107 

E. 

Zrd Scholar, placing JE on the star, He is called the 
Express Image of the Father 
Who, being the brightness of his glory, and the 
express image of his person, and upholding all things 
by the word of his power, when he had by himself 
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the 
Majesty on high. [Heb. i. 3. 

" For thy rich, thy free redemption, — 

Bright, though vailed in darkness long, — 
Thought is poor, and poor expression ; 

Who can sing that wondrous song ? 
Brightness of the Father's glory, 

Shall thy praise unuttered lie ? 
Break, my tongue, such guilty silence ; 

Sing the Lord who came to die." 

Singing. 
Peace on Earth. 

[Pure Gold, p. 100. 

M. 

ith /Scholar, placing 31 on the star, He is called our 
Mediator. 
For there is one God, and one mediator between 
God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 

[1 Tim. ii. 5. 



108 BIBLE LESSONS. 

" He lives ! the great Redeemer lives ! 
What joy the blest assurance gives! 
And now, before his Father, God, 
He pleads the merits of his blood. 
Repeated crimes awake our fears, 
And justice, armed with frowns, appears ; 
But in the Saviour's lovely face 
Sweet mercy smiles, and all is peace. 
Hence, then, ye dark, despairing thoughts ; 
Above our fears, above our faults, 
His powerful intercessions rise ; 
And guilt recedes, and terror dies." 

O. 

5th /Scholar, placing on the star, He is called Our 
Passover. 
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be 
a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ 
our passover is sacrificed for us. [1 Cor. v. 7. 

" Come, guilty sinners, come and see 
w . Your great atoning sacrifice : 
Behold, on yonder gory tree, 

The King of kings for rebels dies. 
How gracious, how severe thou art, 
Just God, in thy redeeming plan ! 
The spear that pierced Immanuel's heart 
Revealed the fount of life for man." 



THE MORNING STAR. 109 

R. 

6^ Scholar, placing It on the star, He is called our 
Hansom. 
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified 
in due time. [1 Tim. ii. 6. 

" Stretched on the cross, the Saviour dies ; 
Hark ! his expiring groans arise ; 
See, from his hands, his feet, his side, 
Descends the sacred, crimson tide. 

And didst thou bleed ? — for sinners bleed ? 
And could the sun behold the deed ? 
No ; he withdrew his cheering ray, 
And darkness vailed the mourning day." 

N. 

1th Scholar, placing N~ on the star, He is called a 

Nazarene. 

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth : 

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the 

prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. 

[Matt. ii. 23. 

" Hail, thou long-expected Jesus, 

Born to set thy people free ! 
From our sins and fears release us ; 

Let us find our rest in thee. 



/ 
110 BIBLE LESSONS. 



Israel's strength and consolation, 
Hope of all the saints, thon art ; 

Long desired of every nation, 
Joy of every waiting heart." 



8th Scholar, placing I on the star, He is called the 
I AM 

Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I 
AM hath sent me unto you. [Ex. iii. 14. 

" So strange, so boundless was the love, 

That pitied dying men, 
The Father sent his equal Son, 

To give them life again. 

Thy hands, dear Jesus, were not armed 

With a revenging rod ; 
No hard commission to perform 

The vengeance of a God." 

N. 

9th /Scholar, placing iV^on the star, He is called the 
Name of Names. 

Neither is there salvation in any other : for there 
is none other name under heaven given among men, 
whereby we must be saved. [Acts. iv. 12. 



THE MORNING STAB. Ill 

" How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 

In a believer's ear ! 
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, 

And drives away his fear. 

It makes the wounded spirit whole, 
And calms the troubled breast ; 

'Tis manna to the hungry soul, 
And to the weary rest." 

G. 

10th Scholar, placing G on the star, He is called a 
Governor. 

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not 
the least among the princes of Judah ; for out of thee 
shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Is- 
rael. [Matt. ii. 6. 

" Calm on the listening ear of night, 
Come heaven's melodious strains, 

Where wild Judea stretches far 
Her silver-mantled plains. 

Celestial choirs, from courts above, 

Shed sacred glories there, 
And angels, with their sparkling lyres, 

Make music on the air. 



112 BIBLE LESSONS. 

The joyous hills of Palestine 

Send back the glad reply, 
And greet, from all their lofty heights, 

The dayspring from on high." 

Singing. 
Carol, sweetly carol. 

[Songs for To-day, p. 118. 

S. 

Wth Scholar, placing S on the star, He is called the 
Sun of Righteousness. 
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of 
Righteousness arise with healing in his wings. 

[Mai. iv. 2. 

" Christ, whose glory fills the skies, 
Christ, the true, the only light, 

Sun of Righteousness, arise, 

Triumph o'er the shades of night : 

Dayspring from on high, be near; 

Daystar, in my heart appear. 

Dark and cheerless is the morn, 

If thy light is hid from me ; 
Joyless is the day's return, 

Till thy mercy's beams I see ; 
Till they inward light impart, 
Warmth and gladness to my heart." 



THE MORXING STAR. 113 



12th Scholar ', placing T on the star, He is called the 
True Vine. 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husband- 
man. 

I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that 
abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth 
much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing. 

[John xv. 1, 5 

" Is he a vine ? His heavenly root 
Supplies the boughs with life and fruit ; 
Oh, let a lasting union join 
My soul the branch, to Christ the Vine." 



15th Scholar, placing A on the star, He is called 
Almighty. 

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end- 
ing, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and 
which is to come, the Almighty. [Rev. i. 8. 

" Now to the Lord, who makes us know 
The wonders of his dying love, 

Be humble honors paid below, 

And strains of nobler praise above. 
8 



114 BIBLE LESSONS. 

'Twas he who cleansed us from our sins, 
And washed us in his precious blood : 

'Tis he who makes as priests and kings, 
And brings us, rebels, near to God." 

R. 

14:th Scholar \ placing H on the star, He is called a 
Hefuge. 
For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a 
strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from 
the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of 
the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. 

[Isa. xxv. 4. 

" Other refuge have I none ; 

Hangs my helpless soul on thee ; 
Leave, ah, leave me not alone ; 

Still support and comfort me : 
All my trust on thee is stayed, 

All my help from thee I bring : 
Cover my defenceless head 

With the shadow of thy wing." 

15th Scholar. I am the root and the offspring of 
David, and the bright and morning star. 

[Rev. xxii. 16. 

" Is he a star ? He breaks the night, 
Piercing the shades with dawning light ; 



THE MORNING STAR. 115 

I know his glories from afar, 
I know the bright, the Morning Star." 
Singing. 
Star, I>eautiful Star. 

[Songs for To-day, p. 122. 
16th Scholar. Jesus, my Star. 

" Over woods and meadows, 

Hamlets near and far, 
Through the falling shadows, 

Shines the evening star. 
First of all that cluster 
In the twilight blue, 
Trembling in its lustre, 

Like a drop of dew. 
Many glories mingle 

In that azure air, 
But to me still single 

Shines that planet there. 
For in its pure whiteness 

'Tis a type of Him, 
In whose holy brightness 
Sun and stars are dim. 
So my mind it raises 
To my Lord above, 
Him whom heaven praises, 
Him whose name I love. 



116 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Thou art first and fairest, 

Jesus, to thine own ; 
Worthily thou wearest 

Heaven's golden crown. 

Thou art high and holy, 

Angels worship thee ; 
Thou art meek and lowly, 

For thou lovest me. 
Thou with light enlivening, 

Shining from afar, 
Art at once my Evening 

And my Morning Star." 

School and Congregation Sing. 

" Joy to the world ! the Lord is come ! 

Let earth receive her King ; 
Let every heart prepare him room, 

And heaven and nature sing. 

Joy to the earth ! the Saviour reigns ! 

Let men their tongues employ ; 
While fields, and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, 

Repeat the sounding joy." 



AN ACROSTIC EXERCISE 

FOB THE 

NEW TEAE. 



\ 




/ 




OUR NEW YEAR'S GREETING 
TO OUR FRIENDS. 

We wish you a Merry Christmas, 
and a Happy New Year, with many 
returns of the same. 




/ 




\ 



Directions. This Exercise is arranged as an 
Acrostic. In an acrostic exercise, we take the first 
letter of the first word, to use as a letter in forming 
another word. Thus, if we wished to form the word 
God, we should take verses beginning with words 
whose first letters were G, O, and D. The one who 
uses this exercise can explain it at greater length to 
the audience if not understood. This New Year's 
exercise is composed of 95 letters. The letters 
should be made large enough to be distinctly seen in 
the furthest part of the room ; they can be made of 
fancy colored card-board, having a small wire loop 

117 



118 BIBLE LESSONS. 

placed upon the top of each letter to hold it in posi- 
tion on the screen. The screen should be white, 
having a border on the edge of the same color as the 
letters, to give it a finished appearance when com- 
pleted; it may be placed on the wall back of the 
Superintendent's desk, or in some prominent place. 
The screen should have small hooks placed on its 
surface at regular distances, upon which the letters 
are to be hung. The exercise is to be recited by the 
calling of the numbers. When the Superintendent 
calls a number, the person having that number is to 
rise and repeat his verse, after which the letter cor- 
responding to the first letter of the first word of his 
verse, is to be placed upon the screen, then the next 
number is to be called, and so on until the acrostic is 
completed. The verses used are principally from the 
Gospels, especially "The Sermon on the Mount." 
When all the letters and punctuation marks are in 
their proper places, the screen will present a similar 
appearance to the diagram given on the preceding 

page. 

THE EXERCISE. 

Singing. 
New Year Day. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 142. 
1. O 

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull 



THE NEW YEAR. 119 

out the mote out of thine eye ; and, behold, a beam is 
in thine own eye ? [Matt. vii. 4. 

2. U 

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and 
brimstone, and a horrible tempest : this shall be the 
portion of their cup. [Psa. xi. 6. 

3. R 

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your 
reward in heaven : for so persecuted they the proph- 
ets which were before you. [Matt. v. 12. 

4. N 

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a 
bushel, but on a candlestick ; and it giveth light unto 
all that are in the house. [Matt. v. 15. 

5. E 

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: 
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 

[Matt. vii. 17. 

6. W 

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least 
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be 
called the least in the kingdom of heaven : but who- 
soever shall do and teach them^ the same shall be 
great in the kingdom of heaven. [Matt. v. 19. 

7. Y 

Ye are the salt of the earth : bat if the salt have 



120 BIBLE LESSORS. 

lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is 
thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and 
to be trodden under foot of men. [Matt. v. 13. 

8. E 

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is 
hewn down, and cast into the fire. [Matt. vii. 19. 

9. A 

Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art 
in the way with him ; lest at any time the adversary 
deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee 
to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 

[Matt. v. 25. 

10. R 

Remember the word that I said unto you, The ser- 
vant is not greater than his lord. If they have per- 
secuted me, they will also persecute you : if they have 
kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 

[John xv. 20. 
11.. 'S 

Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet 
only, but also my hands, and my head. 

Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not 
save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit : and 
ye are clean, but not all. [John xiii. 9, 10. 

12. G 

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither 



THE NEW YEAK. 121 

cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample 
them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 

[Matt. vii. 6. 

13. R 

Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are 
Caesar's ; and unto God the things that are God's. 

[Matt. xxii. 21. 

14. E 

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he 
taketh away : and every branch that beareth fruit, he 
purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 

[John xv. 2. 

15. E 

Even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot 
receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth 
him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, 
and shall be in you." [John xiv. 17. 

16. T 

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, oi 
the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to 
fulfill. [Matt. v. 17. 

17. I ' 

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts 
unto your children, how much more shall your Father 
which is in heaven give good things to them that ask 
him? [Matt. vii. 11. 



122 BIBLE LESSORS. 

18. N 

No man can serve two masters : for either lie will 
hate the one, and love the other ; or else he will hold 
to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve 
God and mammon. [Matt, vi, 24. 

19. G 

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that 
would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 

[Matt. v. 42. 

Sieging. 
JSTew Year's Greeting. 

[River of Life, p. 122. 

20. T 

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not 
sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in 
the synagogues and in the streets, that they may 
have glory of men. Yerily, I say unto you, They 
have their reward. [Matt. vi. 2. 

21. O 

Or else how can one enter into a strong man's 
house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the 
strong man ? and then he will spoil his house. 

[Matt. xii. 29. 

22. O 

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, 



THE NEW YEAR. 123 

speak good things ? for out of the abundance of the 
heart the mouth speaketh. [Matt. xii. 34. 

23. • U 

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing : for God is 
my defence, and the God of my mercy. 

[Psa. lix. 17. 

24. R 

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide 
things honest in the sight of all men. 

[Rom. xii. 17. 

25. F 

For I say unto you, that except your righteousness 
shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and 
Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom 
of heaven. [Matt. v. 20. 

26. R 

Return, O Lord, deliver my soul : oh, save me for 
thy mercies' sake. 

For in death there is no remembrance of thee : in 
the grave who shall give thee thanks ? 

[Psa. vi. 4, 5. 

27. I 

In my father's house are many mansion : if it were 
not so, 1 would have told you. I go to prepare a 
place for you. [John xiv. 2. 

28. E 

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered 



124 BIBLE LESSONS. 

unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom 
for many. [Matt. xx. 28. 

29. N 

Neither be ye called masters : for one is your mas- 
ter, even Christ. [Matt, xxiii. 10. 

30. D 

Deliver me in thy righteousnes, and cause me to 
escape : incline thine ear unto me, and save me. 

[Psa. lxxi. 2. 

31. S. 

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto 
you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his 
brother their trespasses. [Matt, xviii. 35. 

Singing. 
New Year's Song. 

[River of Life, p. 124. 

32. W 

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

[Matt. vii. 20. 

33. E 

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain 
that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the 
watchman waketh but in vain. [Psa. cxxvii. 1. 

34. W 

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit 
unto his stature ? [Matt. vi. 27. 



THE NEW YEAR. 125 

35. I 

Is not this the carpenter's son ? is not his mother 
called Mary ? and his brethren, James, and Joses, 
and Simon, and Judas ? [Matt. xiii. 55. 

36. S 

So shall it be at the end of the world : the angels 
shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among 
the just. [Matt. xiii. 49. 

37. "H 

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, 
cast out devils : freely ye have received, freely give. 

[Matt. x. 8. 

38. Y 

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, 
and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye 
would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: 
for my Father is greater than I. [John xiv. 28. 

39. O. 

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask 
bread, will he give him a stone ? [Matt. vii. 9. 

40. U 

Until I went into the sanctuary of God ; then un 
derstood I their end. 

Surely thou didst set them in slippery places : thou 
castedst them down into destruction. 

[Psa. lxxiii 17, 18. 



126 BIBLE LESSONS. 

41. A 

And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the 
hypocrites are : for they love to pray standing in the 
synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that 
they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, 
They have their reward. [Matt. vi. 5. 

42. M 

Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, 
of a sad countenance : for they disfigure their faces, 
that they appear unto men to fast. Verily I say 
unto you, They have their reward. [Matt. vi. 16. 

43. E 

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good ; or 
else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt : for 
the tree is known by his fruit. [Matt. xii. 33. 

44. R 

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous : for praise is 
comely for the upright. 

Praise the Lord with harp : sing unto him with the 
psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. 

[Psa. xxxiii. 1, 2. 

45. R 

Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants: 
how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the 
mighty people. [Psa. lxxxix. 50. 



THE NEW YEAR. 127 

46. Y 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for 
an eye, and a tooth for a tooth : 

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil : but 
whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to 
hirn the other also. [Matt. v. 38, 39. 

47. C 

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy 
laden, and I will give you rest. [Matt. xi. 28. 

48. H 

He that loveth father or mother more than me is 
not worthy of me : and he that loveth son or daugh- 
ter more than me is not worthy of me. 

[Matt. x. 37. 

49. R 

Riches and honor are with me : yea, durable riches 
and righteousness. [Prov. viii. 18. 

50. I 

Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they 
saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the 
lame to walk, and the blind to see : and they glori- 
fied the God of Israel. [Matt. xv. 31. 

51. S 

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not 
much earth : and forthwith they sprung up, because 
they had no deepness of earth : 



128 BIBLE LESSONS. 

% 

And when the sun was up, they were scorched ; 
and because they had no root, they withered away. 

[Matt. xiii. 5, 6. 

52. T 

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not 
sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in 
the synagogues and in the streets, that they may 
have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have 
their reward. [Matt. vi. 2. 

53. M 

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against 
thee, go and tell him his faults between thee and him 
alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy 
brother. [Matt, xviii. 15. 

54. A 

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart 
bringeth forth that which is good : and an evil man 
out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth 
that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the 
heart the mouth speaketh. [Luke vi. 45. 

55. S, 

Some fell among thorns: and the thorns sprung 
up, and choked them : 

But others fell into good ground, and brought 
forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some 
thirtyfold. [Matt. xiii. 7, 8 



the new yeab. 129 

Singing. 
Sappy Christmas Time. 

[River of Life, p. 121. 

56. A 

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in 
parables ; and without a parable spake he not unto 
them. [Matt. xiii. 34. 

57. N 

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his 
branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye 
know that summer is nigh. 

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, 
know that it is near, even at the doors. 

[Matt. xxiv. 32, 33. 

58. D 

Do ye not understand, neither remember the five 
loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets 
ye took up ? 

Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and 
how many baskets ye took up ? [Matt. xvi. 9, 10. 

59. A 

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall 
agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall 
ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is 
in heaven. [Matt, xviii. 19. 

9 



130 BIBLE LESSONS. 

60. H 

Honor thy father and thy mother : and, Thou shall 
love thy neighbor as thyself. [Matt. xix. 19. 

61. A 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure 
hid in a field ; the which when a man hath found, he 
hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that 
he hath, and buyeth that field. [Matt. xiii. 44. 

62. P 

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he 
will send forth laborers into his harvest. 

[Matt. ix. 38. 

63. P 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you : 
not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not 
your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

[John. xiv. 27. 

64. Y 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt 
love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them 
that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and 
pray for them which despitefully use you, and perse- 
cute you. [Matt. v. 43, 44. 

65. N 

No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto on old 



THE NEW YEAR. 131 

garment : for that which is put in to fill it up taketh 
from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 

[Matt. ix. 16. 

66. E 

EVkn so it is not the will of your father which is 
in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. 

[Matt, xviii. 14. 

67. W 

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this 
little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of 
heaven. [Matt, xviii. 4. 

68. Y 

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set 
on a hill cannot be hid. [Matt. v. 14. 

69. E 

Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, 
or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, 
or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hun- 
dredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

[Matt. xix. 29. 

70. A 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a 
merchantman, seeking goodly pearls : 

Who, when he had found one pearl of great 
price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 

[Matt. xiii. 45, 46. 



132 BIBLE LESSONS. 

71. R, 

Righteousness keepeth Mm that is upright in the 
way : but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. 

[Prov. xiii. 6. 

Singing. 
Happy New Year. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 141. 

72. W 

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he 
lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine 
in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, 
until he find it ? [Luke xv. 4. 

73. I 

If ye then being evil, know how to give good 
gifts unto your children ; how much more shall your 
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that 
ask him ? [Luke xi. 13. 

74. T 

Take heed to yourselves : If thy brother trespass 
against thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, forgive 
him. [Luke xvii. 3. 

75. H 

He that is not with me is against me ; and he that 
gathereth not with me scattereth. [Luke xi. 23. 



THE NEW YEAR. 133 

76. M 

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and 
they follow me : 

And I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall 
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out 
of my hand. [John x. 27, 28. 

77. A 

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and 
not one of them is forgotten before God ? 

[Luke xii. 6. 

78. N 

Xo servant can serve two masters : for either he 
will hate the one and love the other; or else he will 
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot 
serve God and mammon. [Luke xvi. 13. 

79. Y 

Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and 
are dead. 

This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, 
that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 

[John vi. 49, 50. 

80. R 

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy 
youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years 
draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure 
in them. [Eccle. xii. 1. 



134 BIBLE LESSONS. 

81. E 

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered 
unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom 
for many. [Matt. xx. 28. 

82. T 

Then there were brought unto him little children, 
that he should put his hands on them, and pray: 
and the disciples rebuked them. [Matt. xix. 13. 

83. U 

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do 
we give thanks : for that thy name is near thy won- 
drous works declare. [Psa. lxxv. 1. 

84. R 

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy 
heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk 
in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine 
eyes ; but know thou, that for all these things God 
will bring thee into judgment. [Eccle. xi. 9. 

85. N 

Now we know that God heareth not sinners : but 
if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his 
will, him he heareth. [John ix. 31. 

86. S 

Sell that ye have, and give alms ; provide your- 
selves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the 



THE NEW YEAR. 135 

heavens that f aileth not, where no thief approacheth, 
neither moth comipteth. [Luke xii. 83. 

87. O 

One man esteemeth one day above another: an- 
other esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be 
fully persuaded in his own mind. [Rom. xiv. 5. 

88. F 

For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him 
all things that himself doeth : and he will shew him 
greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 

[John v. 20. 

89. T 

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I saj 
unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, 
and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 

[John vi. 53. 

90. H 

He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful 
also in much : and he that is unjust in the least m 
unjust also in much. [Luke xvi. 10. 

91. E 

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, i1 
she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep 
the house, and seek diligently till she find it ? 

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends 



136 BIBLE LESSONS. 

and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; 
for I have found the piece which I had lost. 

[Luke xv. 8, 9. 

92. S 

Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye 
have eternal life : and they are they which testify of 
me. [John v. 39. 

93. A 

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me 
before men, him shall the Son of man also confess be- 
fore the angels of God : 

But he that denieth me before men shall be denied 
before the angels of God. [Luke xii. 8, 9. 

94. M 

Marvel not at this : for the hour is coming, in the 
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. 

[John v. 28. 

95. E 

Every man's work shall be made manifest : for the 
day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by 
fire ; and the fire shall try every man's work of what 
sort it is. [1 Cor. iii. 13. 

Singing. 
"We wish you all a Happy New Year. 

[Golden Chain, p. 59. 



FAITH. 

Note. This Exercise may be used, if desired, for 
class recitations, by giving each class the answer to a 
question (the question to be asked by the Superin- 
tendent), and each member repeating in turn one of 
the Scripture texts in answer. The recitations of 
poetry are to be given to the best speakers. 

THE EXERCISE. 

Sieging. 
I need thee every hour. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 35. 

Question. What is Faith ? 
Answer. Credit or belief in God. 
And he believed in the Lord ; and he counted it to 
him for righteousness. [Gen. xv. 6. 

And the people believed : and when they heard 
that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and 
that he had looked upon their affliction, then they 
bowed their heads and worshiped. [Ex. iv. 31. 

And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did 
upon tbe Egyptians : and the people feared the Lord, 
and believed the Lord and his servant Moses. 

[Ex. xiv. 31. 
137 



138 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in 
God, believe also in me. [John xiv. 1. 

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him 
that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for 
righteousness. [Rom. iv. 5. 

Faith or Teust in God. 
All recite. 
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith 
in God. [Mark. xi. 22. 

Question by the Teacher. Who will give us Faith? 
Ans. Jesus our hope while here below, 
Our all in life and death ; 
He only can on us bestow 
The gift of precious faith. 

Ques. What will He give us ? 
Ans. All that we need he has to give, 
For so his promise says ; 
Then grant us, Lord, on thee to live, 
A life of precious faith. 

Ques. Will He sustain us ? 
Ans. Though fears and snares, by day and night, 
Still wait around our path ; 
He'll give us skill and strength to fight 
The precious fight of faith. 



FAITH. 139 

Ques. What does Faith do for us? 
Arts. 'Tis faith that still leads us along, 

And lives under pressure and load ; 
That makes us in weakness more strong, 
And draws the soul upward to God. 
Ques. Upon what does it tread ? 
Ans. It treads on the world and on sin, 
It vanquishes death and despair ; 
And, oh, let us wonder to tell, 

It wrestles and conquers by prayer. 

All recite. 
" Faith is a precious grace, 

Where'er it is bestowed ; 
It boasts a high celestial birth, 

And is the gift of God. 
Jesus it owns as King, 

And all-atoning Priest ; 
It claims no merit of its own, 

But looks for all in Christ. 
To him it leads the soul, 

When filled with deep distress, 
Flies to the fountain of his blood, 

And trusts his righteousness. 
Since 'tis thy work alone, 

And that divinely free, 
Lord, send the Spirit of thy Son, 

To work this faith in me." 



140 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Ques. For what is Faith necessary ? 

Arts. To please God. 

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Be- 
cause ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes 
of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring 
them into the land which I have given them. 

[Num. xx. 12. 

And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will 
see what their end shall be: for they are a very 
froward generation, children in whom is no faith. 

[Deut. xxxii. 20. 

Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth : so 
a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also 
turned against Israel ; 

Because they believed not in God, and trusted not 
in his salvation. [Psa t lxxviii. 21, 22. 

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ : 

By whom also we have access by faith into this 
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the 
glory of God. [Rom. v. 1, 2. 

But without faith it is impossible to please him : 
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, 
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently 
seek him. [Heb. xi. 6. 

Ques. Is Faith important ? 
Arts. It is. 



FAITH, 141 

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; 
but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the 
life : he that believeth in me, though he were dead, 
yet shall he live. 

To him give all the prophets witness, that through 
his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive 
remission of sins. 

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must 
I do to be saved ? 

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ ; for 
it is the power of God unto salvation to every one 
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the 
Greek. 

For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on 
him shall not be ashamed. 

But after that faith is come, we are no longer 
under a schoolmaster. 

For ye are the children of God by faith in Christ 
Jesus. 

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man 
draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 

But we are not of them who draw back unto per 



142 BIBLE LESSONS. 

dition ; but of them that believe to the saving of the 
soul. 

Singing. 
Jesus, take my heart. 

[Pure Gold, p. 140. 

Recitation. 
Faith. 
" Faith is the Christian's prop, 
Whereon his sorrows lean ; 
It is the substance of his hope, 
His proof of things unseen ; 
It is the anchor of his soul 
When tempests rage and billows roll. 

Faith is the polar star 

That guides the Christian's way, 
Directs his wanderings from afar, 
To realms of endless day ; 
It points the course where'er he roam, 
And safely leads the pilgrim home. 

Faith is the rainbow's form 

Hung on the brow of heaven, 
The glory of the passing storm, 
The pledge of mercy given ; 
It is the bright, triumphal arch, 
Through which the saints to glory march. 



FAITH. 143 

The faith that works by love, 

And purifies the heart, 
A foretaste of the joys above 
To mortals can impart ; 
It bears us through this earthly strife, 
And triumphs in immortal life." 

Ques. From whom do we receive Faith? 
Ans. From God. 

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom oi 
men, but in the power of God. [1 Cor. ii. 5. 

For by grace are we saved through faith; and that 
not of yourselves : it is the gift of God : 

Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ 
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before or- 
dained that we should walk in them. 

[Eph. ii. 8, 9, 10. 

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are 
risen with him through the faith of the operation of 
God, who hath raised him from the dead. 

[Col. ii. 12. 

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our 
God would count you worthy of this calling, and 
fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the 
work of faith with power. [2.Thess. i. 11. 



144 BIBLE LESSORS. 

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our 
faith ; who for the joy that was set before him en- 
dured the cross, despising the shame, and is 'set down 
at the right hand of the throne of God. 

[Heb. xii. 2. 

" Author of faith, to thee I lift 

My weary, longing eyes ; 
Oh, may I now receive that gift ; 

My soul without it, dies. 

What did thine only Son endure 

Before I drew my breath ! 
What pain, what labor, to secure 

My soul from endless death ! " 

Ques. What is Faith in Christ connected with 
and necessary to ? 

Arts. Salvation. 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only 
begotten Son, that whosoever belie veth in him should 
not perish, but have everlasting life. 

For God sent not his Son into the world to con- 
demn the world; but that the world through him 
might be saved. 

He that belie veth on him is not condemned : but 
he that believeth not is condemned already, because 
he hath not believed in the name of the only be- 
gotten Son of God. [John iii. 16, 17, 18. 



FAITH. 145 

Because the law worketh wrath : for where no law 
is, there is no transgression. 

Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace ; 
to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed ; 
not to that only which is of the law, but to that also 
which is of the faith of Abraham ; who is the father 
of us all. [Rom. iv. 14, 15. 

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by 
wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the fool- 
ishness of preaching to save them that believe. 

[1 Cor. i. 21. 

Ques. What does Faith do for the Christian ? 
Arts. Works by love to Christ and his people. 

[Gal. v. 6. 

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth 
any thing, nor uncircumcision ; but faith which 
worketh by love. 

Purifies the heart. [Acts xv. 9. 

And put no difference between us and them, puri- 
fying their hearts by faith. 

Overcomes the snares and temptations of the 
world. [1 John v. 4, 5. 

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the 
world ; and this is the victory that overcometh the 
world, even our faith. 
10 



146 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that 
believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 

Is productive of good works. [Jas. ii. 26. 

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith 
without works is dead also. 

Ques. How does Faith affect the Christian? 
Ans. It justifies him. [Heb. x. 38. 
Now the just shall live by faith : but if any man 
draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 

It sanctifies him. [Acts xxvi. 18. 

To open their eyes, and to turn them from dark- 
ness, and from the power of Satan unto God, that 
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance 
among them which are sanctified by faith that is in 
me. 

He lives by it. [Gal. iii. 11. 

But that no man is justified by the law in the 
sight of God, it is evident : for, The just shall live 
by faith. 

And the law is not of faith : but, The man that doeth 
them shall live in them. 

He walks by it. [2 Cor. v. 7. 
For we walk by faith, not by sight. 

He conquers by it. [1 John v. 4. 

For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the 



FAITH. 147 

world : and this is the victory that overcometh the 
world, even our faith. 

He has access to God by it. [Eph. iii. 12. 

In whom we have boldness and access with confi- 
dence by the faith of him. 

It saves him. [Ej)h. ii. 8. 

For by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that 
not of yourselves : it is the gift of God. 

Sieging. 
Coming to Jesus. 

[Pure Gold, p. 143. 

Ques. What is Faith without works? 

Ans. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a 
man say he hath faith, and have not works? can 
faith save him? 

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of 
daily food, 

And one of you say unto him, Depart in peace, be 
ye warmed and filled ; notwithstanding ye give them 
not those things which are needful to the body; 
what doth it profit? 

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being 
alone, &c. [Jas. ii. 14-26. 

Recitation. 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the 
evidence of things not seen. 



148 BIBLE LESSONS. 

For by it the elders obtained a good report. 

Through faith we understand that the words were 
framed by the word of God, so that things which are 
seen were not made of things which do appear. 

[Heb. xi. 1, 2, 3. 

" Faith is the brightest evidence 

Of things beyond our sight ; 
It pierces through the vail of sense, 

And dwells in heavenly light. 

It sets time past in present view, 
Brings distant prospects home, 

Of things a thousand years ago, 
Or thousand years to come. 

By faith we know the world was made 

By God's almighty word : 
We know the heavens and earth shall fade, 

And be again restored. 

Abrah'm obeyed the Lord's command, 
From his own country driven ; 

By faith he sought a promised land, 
But found his rest in heaven. 

Thus through life's pilgrimage we stray, 

The promise in our eye ; 
By faith we walk the narrow way, 

That leads to joy on high." 



FAITH. 149 

Queo. What is the condition of those without 
Faith? 

Am. Guilty and dangerous. 

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your 
sins : for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die 
in your sins. [John viii. 24. 

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the 
minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the 
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, 
should shine upon them. [2 Cor. iv. 4. 

That they all might be damned who believed not 
the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

[2 Thess. ii. 12. 

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the wit- 
ness in himself : he that believeth not God hath made 
him a liar : because he believeth not the record that 
God gave us of his Son. 

And this is the record, that God hath given to us 
eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 

He that hath the Son hath life : and he that hath 
not the Son of God hath not life. 

[1 John v. 10, 11, 12. 

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though 
ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved 
the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward de- 
stroyed them that believed not. [Jude 5. 



150 bible lessons. 

Recitation. 
Desire for Faith. 

" Oh, for a faith that will not shrink, 

Though pressed by every foe, 
That will not tremble on the brink 

Of any earthly woe ! — 

That will not murmur nor complain 

Beneath the chastening rod, 
But in the hour of grief or pain, 

Will lean upon its God ; — 

A faith that shines more bright and clear 

When tempests rage without ; 
That when in danger knows no fear, 

In darkness feels no doubt ; — 

That bears, unmoved, the world's dread frown, 

Nor heeds its scornful smile ; 
That seas of trouble cannot drown, 

Nor Satan's arts beguile ; — 

A faith that keeps the narrow way, 

Till life's last hour is fled, 
And with a pure and heavenly ray 

Lights up a dying bed. 



* FAITH. 151 

Lord, give us such a faith as this, 

And then, whatever may come, 
We'll taste, e'en here, the hallowed bliss 

Of an eternal home." 

Singing. 
Bless me now. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 47. 

Examples of Faith. 

1. — Abel. 

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent 

sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness 

that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts : 

and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 

[Heb. xi. 4. 
2. — Enoch. 
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not 
see death ; and was not found, because God had 
translated him: for before his translation he had 
this testimony, that he pleased God. [Heb. xi. 5. 

3.— Noah. 
By faith Noah, being w r arned of God of things not 
seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the 
saving of his house : by the which he condemned the 
w^orld, and became heir of the righteousness which 
is by faith, [Heb, xi. 7. 



152 bible lessors. 

4. — Abraham. 

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out 
into a place which he should after receive for an in- 
heritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing 
whither he went. 

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as 
in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with 
Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same 
promise : 

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, 
whose builder and maker is God. 

[Heb. xi. 8, 9, 10. 
5. 

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up 
Isaac : and he that had received the promises offered 
up his only begotten son, 

Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed 
be called. [Heb. xi. 17, 18. 

6. — Joseph. 
By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of 
the departing of the children of Israel; and gave 
commandment concerning his bones. 

[Heb. xi. 22. 
7. — Moses. 
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three 
months of his parents, because they saw he was a 



FAITH. 153 

proper child ; and they were not afraid of the king's 
commandment. 

By faith Moses, when he was come to years, re- 
fused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter ; 

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people 
of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a 
season ; 

Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches 
than the treasures of Egypt ; for he had respect unto 
the recompense of the reward. 

[Heb. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26. 

8. 

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath 
of the king : for he endured, as seeing him who is in- 
visible. 

Through faith he kept the passover, and the 
sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first- 
born should touch them. [Heb. xi. 27, 28. 

9. 

By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by 
dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were 
drowned. [Heb. xi. 29. 

10. 

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they 
were compassed about seven days. [Heb. xi. 30. 



154 BIBLE LESSORS. 

11. — Rahab. 

By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them 
that believed not, when she had received the spies 
with peace. [Heb. xi. 31. 

12. 

And what shall I more say ? for the time would 
fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Sam- 
son, and of Jephthah ; of David also, and Samuel, 
and of the prophets : 

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths 
of lions, 

Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of 
the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed 
valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the 
aliens. [Heb. xi. 32, 33, 34. 

Singing. 
Song of Faith. 

[Golden Censer, p. 40. 



THE CIRCLE OF GRACES. 









lo 



^ 



\ 



FAITHA 



/PEACE. 



**$* 



GENTLE- 
NESS. 






'G 



Directions. This Exercise is designed to be re- 
cited as follows : A circle similar in style to the plan 
given above, is to be suspended on the wall, or in some 
prominent place ; it is to be divided into nine equal 
parts, each part being lettered to represent a grace. 
The names of the graces are to be covered with 
paper or cloth (lightly fastened at the corners so as 
to be easily removed), in order to keep the name of 

155 



156 BIBLE LESSONS. 

the grace invisible before the Exercise is recited. 
During the singing of " Scatter kind words," nine 
girls, each one representing a grace, are to form a 
semi-circle around the " Circle of Graces." The first 
scholar, after reciting her portion of the recitations, 
is to remove the covering placed upon the grace, 
Love, then the second scholar recites and removes 
the covering from Joy, and so on until all have re- 
cited, and the coverings have all been removed, when 
a complete circle appropriately lettered will be seen. 
The motto, " Circle of Graces," placed over the cir- 
cle, will add to the interest. 

THE EXERCISE. 

Singing. 
Scatter kind words. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 72. 

Love. 
1st Scholar (removing the covering on Love), 
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that 
which is evil ; cleave to that which is good. 

Be kindly affectioned one to another with broth- 
erly love; in honor preferring one another. 

[Rom. xii. 9, 10. 

"How sweet, how heavenly, is the sight, 
AVhen those that love the Lord 

In one another's peace delight, 
And thus fulfill his word ! — 



THE CIRCLE OF GRACES. 157 

When each can feel his brother's sigh, 

And with hirn bear a part ; 
When sorrow flows from eye to eye, 

And joy from heart to heart! — " 

But by love serve one another. 
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in 
this : Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 

[Gal. v. 13, 14. 

Joy. 
2nd Scholar (removing the covering on Joy), 
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy 
might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 

[John. xv. 11. 

"Yet in the Lord will I be glad, 

And glory in his love ; 
In him I'll joy, who will the God 

Of my salvation prove. 

God is the treasure of my soul, 
The source of lasting joy — 

A joy which want shall not impair, 
Nor death itself destroy." 

And ye now therefore have sorrow : but I will see 
you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy 
no man taketh from you. [John xvi. 22. 

Peace. 
3rd Scholar (removing the covering on Peace), 



158 • BIBLE LESSONS. 

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ : 

By whom also we have access by faith into this 
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the 
glory of God. [Rom. v. 1, 2. 

" Sweet is the friendly voice which speaks 

The words of life and peace — 
That bids the penitent rejoice* 

And sin and sorrow cease. 
No healing balm on earth, like this, 

Can cheer the contrite heart ; 
No flattering dreams of earthly bliss 
Such pure delight impart." 
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of 
them that make peace. [Jas. iii. 18. 

Long suffering. 

Ath Scholar (removing the covering on Longsuf- 

fering), 

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as 

some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to 

us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that 

all should come to repentance. [2 Peter iii. 9. 

" By thine example ever swayed, 

We for our foes will pray ; 
With love their hatred, and their curse 
With blessings, will repay." 
Which sometimes were disobedient, when once 



THE CIRCLE OF GRACES. 139 

the longsuffering of God waited in the "days of 
Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, 
that is, eight souls were saved by water. 

[1 Peter iii. 20. 
Singing. 
Love one another. 

[Silver Spray, p. 69. 

Gentleness. 
5th Scholar (removing the covering on Gentleness), 
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness 
and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base 
among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 

[2 Cor. x. 1. 
" In every changing scene of life, 

Whate'er that scene may be, 
Give us a meek and humble mind, — 
A mind at peace with thee. 

Do thou direct our steps aright; 

Help us thy name to fear ; 
And give us grace to watch and pray, 
And strength to persevere." 
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, 
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full 
of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and 
without hypocrisy. [Jas. iii. 17. 

Goodness. 
6th Scholar (removing covering from Goodness), 



160 BIBLE LESSONS. 

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass be- 
fore thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord 
before thee ; and will be gracious to whom I will be 
gracious, and will shew mercy to whom I will shew 
mercy. [Ex. xxxiii. 19. 

" Oh, make us ever kind, 

Gentle, and meek, and good ; 
Mindful how dearly we were bought 
With thy most precious blood." 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the 
days of my life : and I will dwell in the house of the 
Lord forever." [Psa. xxiii. 6. 

Faith. 
7th Scholar (removing the covering from Faith), 
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the 
evidence of things not seen. [Heb. xi. 1. 

" Faith is the brightest evidence 

Of things beyond our sight ; 
It pierces through the vail of sense, 

And dwells in heavenly light. 
By faith we know the world was made 

By God's almighty word ; 
We know the heavens and earth shall fade, 
And be again restored." 
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed 
from faith to faith : as it is written, The just shall 
live by faith. [Rom. i. 17. 



THE CIRCLE OF GRACES. 161 

Meekness. 
Wi Scholar (removing the covering from Meekness), 
In meekness instructing those that oppose them- 
selves ; if God peradventure will give them repent- 
ance, to the acknowledging of the truth. 

[2 Tim. ii. 25. 
" Blest are the meek, he said, 
Whose doctrine is divine ; 
The humble minded earth j>ossess, 
And bright in heaven shall shine." 
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and be- 
loved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of 
mind, meekness, long-suffering. [Col. iii. 12. 

Temperance. 
9th Scholar (removing covering from Temperance), 
And every man that striveth for the mastery is 
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain 
a corruptible crown ; but we an incorruptible. 

• [1 Cor. ix. 25. 

" See the car of Temperance roll ; 

Swiftly on it speeds its way. 
See the earth, from pole to pole, 
Bend beneath its awful sway. 
Friends of Zion, steady keep 

The bright prize in view, 
For which Jesus oft did weep, 
And his head was wet with dew." 
11 



162 BIBLE LESSONS. 

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men 
sober, just, holy, temperate. [Titus i. 8. 

All recite. 
But the fruit of the spirit is 
1st Scholar (pointing to Love on the Circle), Love. 
2nd /Scholar (pointing to Joy), Joy. 
3rd Scholar (pointing to Peace), Peace. 
Ath Scholar (pointing to Longsuffering), Long- 
suffering, 
bth Scholar (pointing to Gentleness), Gentleness. 
6th Scholar (pointing to Goodness), Goodness. 

7th Scholar (pointing to Faith), Faith. 
8th Scholar (pointing to Meekness), Meekness. 
9th Scholar (pointing to Temperance), Temperance. 
All recite. 
For if these things be in you, and abound, they 
make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruit- 
ful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

But he that lacketh these thfngs is blind, and can- 
not see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was 
purged from his old sins. [2 Peter i. 8. 

Singing. 
The Spirit Tree. 

[The Prize, p. 156. 

THE CROWNS OF THE CHRISTIAN. 

The Crown of Righteousness. 
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of 



THE CROWNS OF THE CHRISTIAN. 163 

righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, 
shall give me at that day : and not to me only, but 
unto all them also that love his appearing. 

[2 Tim. iv. 8. 
" God has laid in heaven for me 
A crown which cannot fade ; 
The righteous Judge, at that great day, 
Shall j)lace it on my head." 

The Crown of Glory. 
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye 
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 

[1 Peter v. iv. 
" A Crown of Glory bright, 
By faith's clear eye I see, 
In yonder realms of light 
Prepared for me. 

Oh, may I faithful prove, 

And keep the crown in view, 

And through the storms of life 
My way pursue." 

The Grown of Life. 
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; 
for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of 
life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love 
him. [Jas. i. 12. 

" There's a Crown for the Christian, a Crown of Life, 
Gained in the issue of bloodless strife ; 



164 BIBLE LESSONS. 

'Tis a halo of hope, of joy, and of love, 
Brightened by sunbeams from fountains above ; 
They've gathered its hues from sources afar, 
From Seraphim's eyes, and Bethlehem's star, 
And the flow of its light will ever increase, 
For the Christian's brow is a brow of peace." 

An Incorruptible Crown. 
And every man that striveth for the mastery is 
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a 
corruptible crown ; but we an incorruptible. 

[1 Cor. ix. 25. 
" Awake, my soul ; stretch every nerve, 

And press with vigor on ; 
A heavenly race demands thy zeal, 

And an immortal crown. 
'Tis God's all-animating voice 

That calls thee from on high ; 
'Tis his own hand presents the prize 

To thine uj)lifted eye ; — 
That prize, with peerless glories bright, 

Which shall new lustre boast, 
When victors' wreaths and monarchs' gems 
Shall blend in common dust." 
A Crown of Rejoicing. 
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoic- 
ing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord 
Jesus Christ at his coming ? [1 Thess. ii. 19. 



THE CROWDS OF THE CHRISTIAN. 165 

" Ne'er think the victory won, 

Nor lay thine armor down : 
Thy arduous work will not be done 

Till thou obtain the crown. 

Fight on, my soul, till death 

Shall bring thee to thy God ; 
He'll take thee, at thy parting breath, 

To his divine abode." 

" These are the Crowns that we shall wear, 
When all thy saints are crowned ; 

These are the palms that we shall bear, 
On yonder holy ground. 

These are the robes, unsoiled and white, 

Which we shall then put on ; 
When, foremost 'mong the sons of light, 

We sit on yonder throne. 

That is the city of the saints, 

Where we so soon shall stand ; 
When we shall strike these desert tents, 

And quit this desert land. 

Then welcome care, and toil, and pain, 

And welcome sorrow too ; 
All toil is rest, all grief is gain, 

With such a prize in view " 



166 BIBLE LESSOKS. 

THE REWARDS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 

The Rewards of the Righteous will consist of 
Being icith Christ. 
And if I go and prepare a place for yon, I will 
come again, and receive you unto myself ; that where 
I am, there ye may be also. [John xiv. 3. 

Beholding the Face of God. 
And there shall be no more curse : but the throne 
of God and of the Lamb shall be in it ; and his ser- 
vants shall serve him : 

And they shall see his face ; and his name shall be 
in their foreheads. [Rev. xxii. 3, 4. 

Being glorified with Christ. 
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint 
heirs with Christ ; if so be that we suffer with him, 
that we may be also glorified together. 

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present 
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory 
which shall be revealed in us. [Rom. viii. 17, 18. 
Reigning with Christ. 
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him : if we 
deny him, he also will deny us. [2 Tim. ii. 12. 

Inheritance of all things. 
He that overcometh shall inherit all things ; and I 
will be his God, and he shall be my son. 

[Rev. xxi. 7. 



THE REWARDS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 167 

A?i Inheritance Incorruptible. 
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and 
that f adeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. 

[1 Peter i. 4. 
A Kingdom Immovable. 
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot 
be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve 
God acceptably with reverence and godly fear : 

[Heb. xii. 28. 
They shall shine as the stars. 
And they that be wise shall shine as the bright- 
ness of the firmament ; and they that turn many to 
righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever. 

[Dan. xii. 3. 
Everlasting Life. 

And he said unto them, Verily, I say unto you, 
There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or 
brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of 
God's sake, 

Who shall not receive manifold more in this pres- 
ent time, and in the world to come life everlasting. 

[Luke.xviii. 30. 
An Enduring Substance. 

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and 
took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in 
yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an 
enduring substance. [Heb. x. 34. 



168 



BIBLE LESSONS. 



A House eternal in the heavens. 
For we know that, if our earthly house of this tab- 
ernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, 
a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

[2 Cor. v. 1. 

A City that hath foundations. 
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, 
whose builder and maker is God. [Heb. xi. 10. 

Best. 

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people 
of God. [Heb. iv. 9. 

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, 
Write, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord 
from henceforth : Tea, saith the Spirit, that they may 
rest from their labors; and their works do follow 
them. [Rev. xiv. 13. 

■v. 

Fullness of Joy. 
Thou wilt shew me the path of life : in thy pres- 
ence is fullness of joy; and at thy right hand there 
are pleasures for evermore. [Psa. xvi. 11. 

Treasure in Heaven. 
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and 
sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou 
shalt have treasure in heaven : and come and follow 
me. [Matt. xix. 21. 



THE SIX DAYS OF THE CREATION. 

Note. The different parts of this Exercise are to 
be announced by the Superintendent, and the selec- 
tions of Scripture texts and poetry appropriate to 
each day's work of the Creation, are to be recited by 
the different scholars, in turn, in the order in which 
they are numbered here. The selections of poetry 
are from " Paradise Lost? 

THE EXERCISE. 

SlSTGING. 

Universal Praise. 

[Happy Voices, p. 12. 

PART I. 

THE FIRST DAY. 

Light. 

1. In the beginning God created the heaven and 
the earth. 

And the earth was without form and void ; and 
darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the 
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 

[Gen. i. 1, 2. 

2, And God said, Let there be light : and there 
was light. 

169 



170 BIBLE LESSONS. 

And God saw the light, that it was good: and 
'God divided the light from the darkness. 

[Gen. i. 3, 4. 

3. And God called the light Day, and the dark- 
ness he called Night. And the evening and the 
morning were the first day. [Gen. i. 5. 

4. " Let there be light, said God ; and forthwith light 
Etherial, first of things, quintessence pure, 
Sprung from the deep ; and from her native east 
To journey through the sery gloom began, 
Sphered in a radiant cloud, for yet the sun 
Was not ; she in a cloudy tabernacle 
Sojourned the while. God saw the light was 

good, 
And light from darkness by the hemisphere 
Divided ; light the Day, and darkness Night 
He named." 

h. " Thus, were the first day, even and morn, 
Nor pass'cl uncelebrated, nor unsung, 
By the celestial choirs. Creator, him, they sung 
Both when first evening, and when first morn." 

PART II. 

THE SECOND DAY. 

The Firmament. 
1. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the 



THE SIX DAYS OF THE CREATION. 171 

midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from 
the waters. « [Gen. i. 6. 

2. " Again, God said : Let there be firmament 
Amid the waters, and let it divide 
The waters from the waters ; and God made 
The firmament, expanse of liquid, pure, 
Transparent, elemental air, diffused 
In circuit to the uttermost convex 
Of this great round ; partition firm and sure 
The waters underneath, from those above, 
Dividing." 
3. And God made the firmament, and divided the 
waters which were under the firmament from the 
waters which were above the firmament: and it 
was so. [Gen. i. 7. 

4. "And heaven he named the firmament, so even 
And morning chorus sung the second day." 
Singing. 
God of Eternity. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 100. 

PART III. 

THE THIED DAY. 

Vegetable Life. 
1. And God said, Let the waters under the 
heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let 
the dry land appear: and it was so. [Gen. i. 9. 



172 BIBLE LESSONS 

2. "When God arid, 

Be gathered now, ye waters, under heaven, 
Into one place, and let dry land appear, 
Immediately the mountains huge appear 
Emergent, and their broad backs upheave 
Into the clouds ; their tops ascend the sky, 
So high as heaved the tumid hills, so low 
Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep, 
Capacious bed of waters." 

3. And God called the dry land Earth : and the 
gathering together of the waters called he Seas : and 
God saw that it was good. [Gen. i. 10. 

" The dry land Earth, and the great receptacle 
Of congregated waters, he called Seas." 

4. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, 
the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding 
fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself : and it 
was so. 

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb 
yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding 
fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind : and 
God saw that it was good. [Gen. i. 11, 12. 

.5. " Pie scarce had said, when the bare earth, 'till then 
Desert and. bare, unsightly, unadorned, 
Brought forth the tender grass, whose verdure 
clad 



THE SIX DAYS OF THE CREATION. 173 

Her universal face with pleasant green ; 
Then herbs of every leaf, that sudden flowered, 
Opening their various colors, and made gay 
Her bosom, smelling sweet; and these scarce 

blown 
Forth flourished thick the clustering vine." 
6. And the evening and the morning were the 
third day. [Gen. i. 13. 

PART IV. 

THE FOURTH DAY. 

Sun, Moon, and Stars. 
1. And God said. Let there be lights in the fir- 
mament of the heaven to divide the day from the 
night ; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, 
and for days, and for years : 

And let them be for lights in the firmament of the 
heaven to give light upon the earth : and it was so. 

And God made two great lights ; the greater light 
to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the 
night : he made the stars also. [Gen. i. 14, 15, 16. 
2. "In splendor bright, the sun arises now, 
And darts his rays, 
A happy joyful spouse, — a giant 
Proud and glad to run his measured course. 
With softer beams, and milder light, 
Steals on the silver moon through silent night. 
A numerous host of golden stars 
Fill all the space immense of azure sky." 



174 BIBLE LESSONS. 

3. And God set them in the firmament of the 

heaven to give light upon the earth. 

And to rule over the day and over the night, and 

to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw 

that it was good. 

And the evening and the morning were the fourth 

day. [Gen. ii 17, 18, 19. 

4. " God saw, 

Surveying his great work, that it was good ; 

For of celestial bodies, first the sun 

A mighty sphere he framed. 

He form'd the moon, 

Globose, and every magnitude of stars, 

And sow'd with stars, the heaven, thick as a 

field." 

Singing. 

The heavens declare thy glory, Lord ; 

In every star thy wisdom shines; 
But when our eyes behold thy word, 

We read thy name in fairer lines. 
The rolling sun, the changing light, 

And nights, and days, thy power confess; 
But that blest volume thou hast writ 

Reveals thy justice and thy grace. 
Sun, moon, and stars, convey thy praise 

Around the earth, and never stand ; 
So, when thy truth began its race, 

It touched and glanced on every land. 



THE SIX DAYS OF THE CREATION. 175 

PART V. 

THE FIFTH DAY. 

Fish, Reptiles and Birds. 
1. And God said, Let the waters bring forth 
abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and 
fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firma- 
ment of heaven. [Gen. i. 20. 
2. " On mighty wings uplifted 

Soars the eagle aloft, 

And cleaves the sky in swiftest flight, 

To the blazing sun. 

His welcome bids to morn, the merry lark, 

And cooing calls the tender dove his mate. 

From every bush and grove, 

Resounds the nightingale's delightful notes ; 

No grief affected yet her breast, 

Nor to a mournful tale were 

Tuned her soft enchanting lays." 
3. And God created great whales, and every liv- 
ing creature that moveth, which the waters brought 
forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged 
fowl after his kind : and God saw that it icas good. 

[Gen. i. 21. 
4. " And God created great whales, and each 

Soul living, each that crept, which, plenteously 

The waters generated by their kind." 



176 BIBLE LESSONS. 

5. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, 
and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let 
the fowl multiply in the earth. 

And the evening and the morning were the fifth 
day. [Gen. i. 22, 23. 

6. " God blessed them, saying, 

Be fruitful, multiply, and in the seas, 
And lakes, and running streams the waters fill ; 
And let the fowl be multiplied on the earth. 
Forthwith the sounds, and seas, each creek, and 

bay, 
With fry innumerable swarm, and shoals 
Of fish that with their fins and shining scales 
Glide under the green wave." ^ 

PART VI. 

THE SIXTH DAY. 

Mammals, and Man. 

1. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the 
living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping 
thing, and beast of the earth, after his kind : and it 
was so. 

And God made the beast of the earth after his 
kind, and cattle after their kind, and everthing that 
creepeth upon the earth after his kind : and God saw 
that it was good. [Gen. i. 24, 25. 

2. " The sixth, and of creation last, arose 



THE SIX DAYS OF THE CREATION. 177 

With evening harps and matins. When God said, 
Let the earth bring forth, soul living in her kind, 
Cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the 

earth, 
Each in their kind." 

3. " Now heaven in all her glory shone, and roll'd 
Her motions, as the first great Mover's hand 
First wheel' d their courses. Earth in her rich 

attire, 
Consummate lovely smiled ; air, water, earth, 
By fowl, fish, beast, was flown, was swum, was 

walked, 
Frequent ; and of the sixth day yet remained, 
There wanted yet that master-work, the end 
Of all yet done ; a creature who, not proven, 
And brute as other creatures, but endued 
With sanctity of reason, might erect 
His stature, and with front serene, 
Govern the rest." 

4. And God said, Let us make man in our 
image, after our likeness : and let them have domin- 
ion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the 
air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and 
over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the 
earth. 

So God created man in bis own image, in the 
12 



178 BIBLE LESSONS. 

image of God created he him: male and female 
created he them. [Gen. i. 26, 27. 

5. " In native worth, and honor clad, 

With beauty, courage, strength adorned, 
Erect, with front serene he stands, 
He stands a man, the Lord and King of na- 
ture all. 

The large and arched front sublime, 

Of wisdom deep declared the seat, 

And in his eyes with brightness shine, 

The soul — the breath and image of his God " 

6. And God blessed them, and God said unto 
them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the 
earth, and subdue it : and have dominion over the 
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over 
every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 

[Gen. i. 28. 

7. And God said, Behold, 1 have given you every 
herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the 
earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a 
tree yielding seed ; to you it shall be for meat. 

[Gen. i. 29. 

8. And to every beast of the earth, and to every 
fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon 
the earth, wherein there iVHfe, J have given every 
green herb for meat : and it was so, [Gen. i. 30. 



god's works. 179 

9. And God saw everything that he had made, 
and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and 
the morning were the sixth day. [Gen. i. 31. 

Sieging. 
" Nature, with all her powers, shall sing 
Her great Creator and her King ; 
Nor air, nor earth, nor skies, nor seas, 
Deny the tribute of their praise. 

Ye seraphs, who sit near his throne, 
Begin to make his glories known ; 
Tune high your harps, and spread the sound 
Throughout creation's utmost bound." 

GOD'S WORKS. 

Note. This Exercise is designed for some of the 
younger members of the Sabbath-school. The an- 
swers for them to recite being in poetry, will be found 
much easier for them to commit to memory and 
recite. The questions are to be asked by the Super- 
intendent, or if used by the Infant Class, by the 
Teacher. It may be used in connection with the 
preceding exercise, " The Creation? if desirable. 

Srtf-Grro. 
We are little travelers. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 71. 



ISO BIBLE LESSONS. 

1st Ques. Who made all things ? 
Ans. " 'Twas God that made the earth and sky, 
Great are the wonders of his hand ; 
He is more powerful, wise, and good, 
Than any child can understand." 

2nd Ques. What did God make ? 

Ans. " The glorious sun that blazes high, 

The moon more pale and dim ; 
With all the fctars that fill the sky, 

Are made and ruled by him." 

3rd Ques. What did his hand fashion ? 
Ans. " And this vast world of ours, below, 

The water and the land ; 
And all the trees and flowers that grow, 

Were fashioned by his hand." 

4th Ques. What do God's works proclaim ? 

Ans. " Thy works proclaim Thy glory, Lord ; 
The blooming fields, the singing birds, 
The tempest, and the sunny hour, 
Show forth thy goodness and thy power." 

bth Ques. What does the Sun teach us? 

Ans. " And when the setting sun declines, 
I view thee in its brilliant lines ; 
Those tints so beautiful and bright, 
Teach me the Author of all light." 



god's works. 131 

6th Ques. Who gave all these things birth? 
Ans. " There's not a star, whose twinkling light 
Shines on the distant earth, 
And cheers the silent gloom of night, 
But mercy gave it birth." 

7 th Ques. Who sends the showers and the sunshine ? 
Ans. " There's not a cloud, whose dews distil 

Upon the parched clod, 
And clothe with verdure vale and hill, 

That is not sent by God." 
8th Ques. Is God everywhere ? 
Ans. " There's not a place in earth's vast round, 

In ocean's depth, or air, 
Where skill and wisdom are not found, 

For God is everywhere." 
9th Ques. Where is his love displayed ? 
Ans. "Around, beneath, below, above, 

Wherever space extends ; 
There God displays his boundless love, 

And power with mercy blends." 
l§th Ques. What is the most important of God's 
Works? 
Ans. " I am the creature of the Lord, 

He made me by his powerful word ; 

This body in each curious part, 

Was made by his unerring art " 



182 BIBLE LESSORS. 

11th Ques. From whence came the spirit? 
Ans. " From Him my nobler spirit came, 
My sonl a spark of heavenly flame, 
That soul by which my body lives, 
Which thinks and hopes, desires and grieves, 
Is capable of endless bliss, 
And worth a thousand worlds like this ; 
It must in joy or woe remain, 
When flesh is turned to dust again." 
12th Ques. To what then should we first attend ? 
Ans. " To what then should we first attend, 
Or what esteem our noblest end ? 
Surely it must be this alone, 
That God my Maker may be known." 
l%th Ques. How should we love God? 
Ans. "So known, that we may love him still, 
And form our actions by his will ; 
That he may bless us, while we live, 
And when we die, our souls receive." 
lith Ques. In what new created world will he re- 
ceive us ? 

Ans. " Then in the world of light, and love, 
With saints, and angel hosts above, 
I'll dwell forever in his sight, 
In perfect knowledge and delight." 

Singing. 



THE SEA. 

SUSTGING. 

Praise ye the Lord. 

[Pure Diamonds, p. 8. 

Ques. Who created the Sea ? 

Arts. And God said, Let the waters under the 
heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let 
the dry land appear : and it was so. 

And God called the dry land Earth: and the 
gathering together of the waters called he Seas : and 
God saw that it was good. [Gen. i. 9, 10. 

Ques. What is the Sea called? 

Ans. The Deep. 

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, 
thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have 
been in the deep. [2 Cor. xi. 25. 

Ques. What is said of its extent? 

Ans. The measure thereof is longer than the 
earth, and broader than the sea. [Job. xi. 9. 

Ques. What is said of its inhabitants ? 

Ans. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are 
things creeping innumerable, both small and great 
beasts. 

There go the ships : there is that leviathan, whom 
thou hast made to play therein. [Psa. civ. 25, 26. 

183 



184 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Ques. What of its inhabitants are mentioned ? 

Ans. The whale. 

And God created great whales. [Gen. i. 21. 

The Leviathan. 

Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook? or 
his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down ? 

[Job xli. 1. 

Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and 
gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the 
wilderness. [Psa. lxxiv. 14. 

Ques. What is said of the Leviathan's power? 

Ans. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot : he 
iiiaketh the sea like a pot of ointment. 

He maketh a path to shine after him ; one would 
think the deep to be hoary. 

Upon earth there is not his like, who is made 
without fear. [Job xli. 81^33. 

Ques. Upon whom are all these creatures of the 
Sea dependent? 

Ans. These wait all upon thee ; that thou mayest 
give them their meat in due season. 

That thou givest them they gather : thou openest 
thine hand, they are filled with good. 

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou 
take st away their breath, they die, and return to 
their dust. [Psa. civ. 27-29. 



THE SEA. 185 

Recitation*. 
"Almighty Ruler of the skies, 
How various are thy works ! how wise ! 
Thy power throughout all space extends, 
Sinks thro' all depth, all height transcends. 
Not earth alone beholds her shores 
Enriched by thy exhaustless stores ; 
Alike throughout their liquid reign 
The spreading seas thy gift contain. 
Beneath, unnumbered fishes swarm, 
Of different size, of various form ; 
Above, the ships incumbent ride, 
Borne on the bosom of the tide. 
Here, huge leviathan is seen 
To sport the mighty waves between ; 
There, icy mountains float and roll, 
Driven from seas beyond the pole." 

SraGiXG. 
Out on the ocean sailing. 

[Golden Censer, p. 98. 
Ques. What does the Psalmist say of the won- 
ders of the Sea? 

Ans. They that go down to the sea in ships, that 
do business in great waters ; 

These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders 
in the deep. 



186 BIBLE LESSONS. 

For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, 
which lifteth up the waves thereof. 

They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to 
the depths : their soul is melted because of trouble. 

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken 
man, and are at their wit's end. 

Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and 
he bringeth them out of their distresses. 

He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves 
thereof are still. 

Then they are glad because they be quiet ; so he 
bringeth them unto their desired haven. 

Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his good- 
ness, and for his wonderful works to the children of 
men. [Psa. cvii. 23-31. 

Recitation. 
" They who in ships, with courage bold, 

O'er swelling waves their trade pursue, 
The Lord's amazing works behold, 

And in the deep his wonders view. 
Soon as his dread command is past, 

The low'ring storm begins to rise ; 
It sweeps the Sea with rapid haste, 

And makes the swelling billows rise. 
The laboring ships borne up to heaven, 

Upon the lofty waves appear ; 
Then down the deep abyss are driven, 
Whilst every soul dissolves with fear. 



THE SEA. 187 

They reel and stagger to and fro, 

Like men with fumes of wine oppressed ; 
Nor does the skillful seaman know 

Which way to steer, what course is best. 
Then to the Lord's indulgent ear, 

Their supplications they address ; 
He kindly condescends to hear, 

And frees them from their deep distress. 
He bids the storm its fury cease, 

And lays the billows calm and still ; 
Then summons forth the gentle breeze, 

The seaman's wishes to fulfill. 
Oh, then, that all the earth, with me, 

Would God for all his goodness praise ; 
And for the mighty works, which he 

Throughout the wondering world displays." 

SlNGIXG. 

The Ship in a storm. 

[Golden Chain, p. 122. 
Ques. Who shakes the Sea by his word? 
Ans. For thus saith the Lord of hosts ; Yet once, 
it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and 
the earth, and the sea, and the dry land. 

[Hag. ii. 6. 
Ques. Who measures the waters thereof? 
Ans. Who hath measured the waters in the hoi- 



188 BIBLE LESSORS. 

low of his hand, and meted out heaven with the 
span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a 
measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and 
the hills in a balance ? [Isa. xl. 12. 

Ques. Who stills it by his power? 

Ans. By terrible thiDgs in righteousness wilt 
thou answer us, O God of our salvation ; who art the 
confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them 
that are afar off upon the sea : 

Which by his' strength setteth fast the mountains ; 
being girded with power : 

Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of 
their waves, and the tumult of the people. 

[Psa. lxv. 5, 6, 7. 

Thou rulest the raging of the sea : when the waves 
thereof arise, thou stillest them. [Psa. Ixxxix. 9. 

Ques. Who dries it up by his rebuke ? 

Ans. Wherefore, when I came, was there no man ? 
when I called, was there none to answer? Is my 
hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or 
have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke, I 
dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness : their 
fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for 
thirst. [Isa. 1. 2. 

He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth 
up all the rivers : Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, 
and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. 

[Nam. i. 4. 



THE SEA. 189 

Ques. Who sets its bounds ? 

Ans. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, 
until the day and night come to an end. 

[Job. xxvi. 10. 

Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake 
forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 

"When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and 
the thick darkness a swaddling band for it, 

And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars 
and doors, 

And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no fur- 
ther : and here shall thy proud waves be stayed ? 

[Job. xxxviii. 8-11. 

When he prepared the heavens, I was there; 
when he set a compass upon the face of the depth. 

[Pro. viii. 27. 

When he gave to the sea his decree, that the 
waters should not pass his commandment : when he 
appointed the foundations of the earth. 

[Prov. viii. 29. 

Ques. What barrier is placed before it ? 

Ans. Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye 
not tremble at my presence, which hath placed the 
sand/br the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, 
that it cannot pass it : and though the waves thereof 
toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though 
they roar, yet can they not pass over it ? 

[Jer. v. 22. 



190 bible lessons. 

Recitation. 
Prayer at Sea. 
" Prayer may be sweet in cottage homes, 

Where sire and child devontly kneel, 
While through the open casement nigh ; 
The vernal blossoms fragrant steal. 

Prayer may be sweet in stately halls, 

Where heart with kindred heart is blent 

And upward to the eternal throne 
The hymn of praise melodious sent. 

But he who fain would know how warm 
The soul's appeal to God may be, 

From friends and native land should turn, 
A wanderer on the faithless sea ; 

Should hear its deep imploring tone, 

Rise heavenward o'er the foaming surge, 

When billows toss the fragile bark, 
And fearful blasts the conflict urge. 

Nought, nought appears but sea and sky, 
No refuge where the foot may flee ; 

How will he cast, O Rock divine, 
The anchor of his soul on thee." 

Singing. . 
The Voyage of Life. 

[The Prize, p. 107. 



THE SEA. 191 

Ques. What Seas are mentioned in the Bible? 

Ans. The Sea of Adria, or Adriatic Sea. 

But when the fourteenth night was come, and we 
were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight 
the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some 
country. [Acts xxvii. 27. 

The Red Sea. - 

And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind, 
which took away the locusts, and cast them into the 
Red Sea : there remained not one locust in all the 
coast of Egypt. [Ex. x. 19. 

The Sea of Joppa, sometimes called the Sea of the 
Philistines. 

They gave money also unto the masons, and to the 
carpenters ; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them 
of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees 
from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the 
grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. 

[Ezra iii. 7. 

And I will set thy bounds from the Red Sea even 
unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert 
unto the river : for I will deliver the inhabitants of 
the land into your hand ; and thou shalt drive them 
out before thee. [Ex. xxiii. 31. 

The Salt or Dead Sea. 

All these were joined together in the vale of 
Siddim, which is the salt sea. [Gen. xiv. 3. 



192 BIBLE LESSORS. 

And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the 
goings out of it shall be at the salt sea : this shall be 
your land with the coast thereof round about. 

[Num. xxxiv. 12. 

The Sea of Jazer. 

O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the 
weeping of Jazer ; thy plants are gone over the sea, 
even to the sea of Jazer : the spoiler is fallen upon 
thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage. 

[Jer. xlviii. 32. 

The Sea of Galilee. 

After these things Jesus went over the sea of 
Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. [John vi. 1. 

Note. It will add much to the interest of this 
Exercise, if brief descriptions of these seas are given 
by some competent person, stating the events that 
took place upon their waters, or near the shore, 
geographical peculiarities, &c. Let this be done 
after the recitation of each sea. 

Ques. What remarkable event took place at the 
EedSea? 

Arts. And Moses stretched out his hand over the 
sea ; and the Lord caused the sea to go back, by a 
strong east wind all that night, and made the sea 
dry land, and the waters were divided. 

And the children of Israel went into the midst of 



THE SEA. 193 

the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a 
wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine 
hand over the sea, that the waters may come again 
upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon 
their horsemen. 

And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, 
and the sea returned to his strength when the morn- 
ing appeared: and the Egyptians fled against it; 
and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst 
of the sea. 

And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, 
and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that 
came into the sea after them ; there remained not so 
much as one of them. 

But the children of Israel walked upon dry land 
in the midst of the sea ; and the waters were a wall 
unto them on their right hand and on their left. 

[Ex. xiv. 21, 22, 26-29. 

Ques. What makes the Sea of Galilee memora- 
ble? 

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two 
brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his 
brother, casting a net into the sea : for they were 
fishers of men. 

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and 1 will 
make you fishers of men. 
13 



194 BIBLE LESSONS. 

And they straightway left their nets and followed 
him. [Matt. iv. 18-20. 

Singing. 
The Port of Peace. 

[Silver Spray, p. 95. 
Declamation. 
The Sea is 3m> and He made it. 

" The Sea is His, and He made it." Its beauty is 
of God. It possesses it in richness of its own; it 
borrows it from earth, and air, and heaven. The 
clouds lend it the various dyes of their wardrobe, 
and throw down upon it the broad masses of their 
shadows, as they go sailing, and sweeping by. The 
rainbow leaves in it its many colored feet. The sun 
loves to visit it, and the moon, and the glittering 
brotherhood of stars; for they delight themselves 
in its beauty. The sunbeams return from it in 
showers of diamonds and glances of fire. The 
moonbeams find in it a pathway of silver, where 
they dance to and fro, with the breeze and the 
waves through the livelong night. It has a light too 
of its own, a soft and sparkling light, rivaling the 
stars. It harmonizes in its forms and sounds both 
with the night and the day. It cheerfully reflects 
the light, and it unites solemnly with the darkness. 
It imparts sweetness to the music of men, and 
grandeur to the thunder of heaven. " The Sea is 
His, and He made it." 



THE SF.A. 195 

Ques. How are the Waves of the Sea described? 
Am. As raised up on high. 

The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have 
lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. 

[Psa. lxiii. 3. 

As tossed to and fro. 

And though the waves thereof toss themselves, 
yet can they not prevail. [Jer. v. 22. 

As multitudinous. 

The sea is come up upon Babylon : and is covered 
with the multitude of the waters thereof. 

[Jer. li. 42. 

As mighty. 

The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of 
many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. 

[Psa. lxliii. 4. 

As violent. 

And falling into a place where two seas met, they 
ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, 
and remained unmovable, but the hinder part was 
broken with the violence of the waters. 

[Acts xxvii. 41. 

As tumultuous. 

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the 
moon, and in the stars ; and upon the earth distress 



196 BIBLE LESSONS. 

of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves 
roaring. [Luke xxi. 25. 

Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own 
shame. [Jude 13. 

Ques. With what is the shore of the Sea covered ? 

Arts. That in blessing I will bless thee, and in 
multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of 
the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea 
shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his 
enemies. [Gen. xxii. 17. 

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understand- 
ing exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as 
the sand that is upon the sea shore. 

[1 Kings iv. 29. 

For now it would be heavier than the sands of the 
sea. [Job vi. 3. 

He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and 
feathered fowl like as the sand ef the sea. 

[Psa. lxxviii. 27. 

Ques Of what are the Waves illustrative ? 

Ajis. Of the Righteous. 

Oh, that thou hadst hearkened to my command- 
ments ! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy 
righteousness as the waves of the sea. 

[Isa. xlviii. 18. 



THE SEA. 197 

Of Devastating Armies. 

Therefore thus saith the Lord God ; Behold, I am 
against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations 
to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves 
to come up. 

And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and 
break down her towers : I will also scrape her dust 
from her, and make her like the top of a rock. 

[Ezek. xxvi. 3, 4. 

Of the Unsteady. 

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering : for he 
that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with 
the wind and tossed. [James i. 16. 

Ques. Of what is the Sea illustrative? 

Arts. Heavy afflictions. 

When thou passest through the waters, I will be 
with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not 
overflow thee : when thou walkest through the fire, 
thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame 
kindle upon thee. [Isa. xliii. 2. 

Ques. The Roaring of the Sea? 

Arts. The Wicked. 

And in that day they shall roar against them like 
the roaring of the sea : and if one look unto the land, 
behold darkness and sorrow ; and the light is dark- 
ened in the heavens thereof. [Isa. v. 30. 



198 BIBLE LESSONS. 

They shall lay hold on bow and spear ; they are 
cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like 
the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as 
men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. 

[Jer. vi. 23. 

Ques. The Troubled Sea ? 

Ans. The wicked. 

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it 
cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 

TJiere is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. 

[Isa. Ivii. 20, 21. 

Ques. When Smooth? 

Ans. The Peace of Heaven. 

And before the throne there was a sea of glass 
like unto crystal : and in the midst of the throne, 
and round about the throne, were four beasts full 
of eyes before and behind. [Rev. iv. 6. 

And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with 
fire : and them that had gotten the victory over the 
beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and 
over the number of his name, stand on the sea of 
glass, having the harps of God. 

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of 
God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and 
marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty ; just 
and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 

[Rev. xv. 2, 3. 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 

The Superintendent reads or recites : 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long- 
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

Meekness, temperance : against such there is no 
law. [Gal. v. 22, 23. 

But thou, O man of God, flee these things : and 
follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, pa- 
tience, meekness. [1 Tim. vi. 11. 

And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your 
faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 

And to knowledge, temperance ; and to temper- 
ance, patience ; and to patience, godliness ; 

And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to 
brotherly kindness, charity. [2 Peter i. 5, 6, 7. 

Brotherly Kindness, 

1st Scholar. Be kindly affectioned one to an- 
other with brotherly love; in honor preferring one 
another. [Rom. xii. 10. 

2nd. But as touching brotherly love ye need not 
that I write unto you : for ye yourselves are taught 
of God to love one another. [1 Thess. iv. 9. 

3rd. Let brotherly love continue. 

[Heb. xiii. 1. 
199 



200 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Ath. " Children, do you love each other ? 

Are you always kind and true ? 
Do you always do to others, 

As you'd have them do to you? 
Are you gentle to each other, 

Are you careful day by day, 
Not to give offence by actions, 

Or by anything you say ? " 

5th. " Little children, love each other, 
Never give another pain ; 
If your brother speaks in anger, 

Answer not in wrath again. 
Be not selfish to each other, 
Never spoil another's rest ; 
Strive to make each other happy, 
And you will yourself be blessed." 
6th. A new commandment I give unto you, That 
ye love one another ; as I have loved you, that ye 
also love one another. 

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, 
if ye have love one to another. [John xiii. 34, 35. 

All the class repeat together : 

As Christ has commanded, 

We'll constantly try 
Our schoolmates to please, 

And ourselves to deny. 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 201 

From our own little pleasures 

A trifle we'll spare, 
To gladden their hearts, 

And lighten their care. 

Singing. 
Love one another. 

[The Prize, p. 170, 171. 

Long suffering. 

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and 
forbearance and longsufr* ering ; not knowing that 
the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? 

[Rom. ii. 4. 

What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to 
make his power known, endured with much long- 
suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. 

[Rom. ix. 22. 

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the 
longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, 
while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, 
eight souls were saved by water. [1 Pet. iii. 20. 

And account that the longsuffering of the Lord 
is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also, 
according to the wisdom given unto him, hath 
written unto you. [2 Peter iii. 15. 

Howbeit, for this cause I obtained merey, that in 
me first, Jesus Christ might shew forth all long- 



202 BIBLE LESSORS. 

suffering, for a pattern to them which should here- 
after believe on him to life everlasting. 

[1 Tim. i. 16. 

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as 
some men count slackness ; but is longsuff ering to 
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that 
all should come to repentance. [2 Pet. iii. 9. 

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, 
and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy 
and truth. [Psa. lxxxvi. 15. 

Goodness. 

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of 
God : on them which fell, severity ; but toward 
thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness : 
otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. [Gal. v. 22. 

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass be- 
fore thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord 
before thee ; and will be gracious to whom I will be 
gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew 
mercy. [Ex. xxxiii. 19. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the 
days of my life : and I will dwell in the house of the 
Lord forever. [Psa. xxiii. 6. 

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the 
goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 

[Rev. xxvii. 13. 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 203 

Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast 
laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast 
wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons 
of men ! [Psa. xxxi. 19. 

Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty 
man ? the goodness of God endureth continually. 

[Psa. lii. 1. 

Blessed is the man ichom thou choosest, and 
causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in 
thy courts : we shall be satisfied with the goodness 
of thy house, even of thy holy temple. 

[Psa. lxv. 4. 

I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord, 
and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the 
Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness 
toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed 
on them according to his mercies, and according to 
the multitude of his loving-kindnesses. 

[Isa. lxiii. 7. 
Mercy. 

For he saith unto Moses, I will have mercy on 
whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion 
on whom I will have compassion. [Rom. ix. 15. 

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his 
mercy ; as it is written, For this cause I will confess 
to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 

[Rom. xv. 9. 



204 BIBLE LESSORS. 

Even so have these also now not believed, that 
through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 

[Rom. xi. 31. 

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that 
he ^might have mercy upon all. [Rom. xi. 32. 

Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we 
have received mercy, we faint not. [2 Cor. iv. 1. 

Not by works of righteousness which we have 
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the 
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy 
Ghost. [Titus iii. 5. 

For he shall have judgment without mercy, that 
hath shewed no mercy ; and mercy rejoiceth against 
judgment. [James ii. 13. 

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye 
have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the 
end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and 
of tender mercy. [James v. 11. 

Temperance. 

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, 
and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and an- 
swered, Go thy way for this time ; when I have a 
convenient season, I will call for thee. 

[Acts xxiv. 25. 

And every man that striveth for the mastery is 
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a 
corruptible crown ; but we an incorruptible. 

fl Cor. ix. 25, 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 205 

Meekness, temperance ; against such there is no 
law. [Gal. v. 23. 

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, 
sober, just, holy, temperate. [Titus i. 8. 

That the aged men "be sober, grave, temperate, 
sound in faith, in charity, in patience. 

[Titus ii. 2. 

And to knowledge, temperance. [2 Pet. i. 6. 

Gentleness. 

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness 
and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base 
among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 

[2 Cor. x. 1. 

And the servant of the Lord must not strive ; but 
be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. 

[2 Tim. ii. 24. 

To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but 
gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 

[Titus iii. 2. 

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, 
not only to the good and gentle, but also to the 
fro ward. [1 Pet. ii. 18. 

But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, 
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full 
of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality, and 
without hypocrisy. [Jas. iii. 17. 



206 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salva- 
tion : and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy 
gentleness hath made me great. [Psa. xviii. 35. 

Knowledge. 

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth 
knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the full- 
ness of God. [Eph. iii. 19. 

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and 
knowledge. [Col. ii. 3. 

Talk no more so exceeding proudly ; let not ar- 
rogancy come out of your mouth : for the Lord is a 
God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 

[1 Sam. ii. 3. 

And they say, How doth God know ? and is there 
knowledge in the Most High? [Psa. lxxiii. 11. 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me ; it is 
high, I cannot attain unto it. [Psa. cxxxix. 6. 

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto 
night sheweth knowledge. [Psa. xix. 2. 

And I will give you pastors according to mine 
heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and un- 
derstanding. [Jer. iii. 15. 
Forbearance. 

And thinkest thou this, O man, ttuit judgest them 
which do such things, and doest the same, that thou 
shalt escape the judgment of God? 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 207 

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and 
forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the 
goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? 

[Rom. ii. 3, 4. 

Whom God hath sent forth to be a propitiation 
through faith in his blood, to declare his righteous- 
ness for the remission of sins that are past, through 
the forbearance of God. [Rom. ii. 25. 

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one an- 
other, if any man have a quarrel against any : even 
as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. [Col. iii. 13 

Hope. 

For we are saved by hope : but hope that is seen 
is not hope : for what a man seeth, why doth he yet 
hope for ? 

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we 
with patience wait for it. [Rom. viii. 24, 25. 

And every man that hath this hope in him, puri- 
fieth himself, even as he is pure. [1 John iii. 3. 

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your 
heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. 

[Psa. xxxi. 24. 

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that 
fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy. 

[Psa. xxxiii. 18. 

And now, Lord, what wait I for ? my hope is in 
thee. [Psa. xxxix. 7. 



208 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? and why 
art thou disquieted in me ? hope thou in God : for I 
shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. 

[Psa. xlii. 5. 

For thou art my hope, O Lord God : thou art my 
trust from my youth. [Psa. lxxi. 5. 

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his 
word do I hope. 

My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that 
watch for the morning : I say, more than they that 
watch for the morning. 

Let Israel hope in the Lord : for with the Lord 
there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemp- 
tion. [Psa. cxxx. 5, 6, 7. 

The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, 
in those that hope in his mercy. [Psa. cxlvii. 11. 

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness : but 
the expectation of the wicked shall perish. 

[Pro. x. 28. 

Forgiveness. 

Te have heard that it hath been said, An eye for 
an eye, and a tooth for a tooth : 

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil : but 
whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn 
to him the other also. 

And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take 
away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 



THE CHRISTIAN GKACES. 209 

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go 
with him twain. 

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that 
would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 

[Matt. v. 38-42. 

For, if ye forgive men their tresspasses, your 
heavenly father will also forgive you. 

But, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither 
will your father forgive your trespasses. 

[Matt. vi. 14, 15. 

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged : condemn 
not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye 
shall be forgiven. [Luke vi. 37. 

Take heed to yourselves : If thy brother trespass 
against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive 
him. 

And if he trespass against thee seven times in a 
day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, 
saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him. 

[Luke xvii. 3, 4. 

In whom we have redemption through his blood, 
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his 
grace. [Eph. i. 7. 

And be ye kind, one to another, tender hearted, 
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake 
hath forgiven you. [Eph. iv. 32. 

14 



210 BIBLE LESSORS. 

Righteousness. 

But in every nation, he that feareth him, and 
worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 

[Acts x. 35. 

Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith 
of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that be- 
lieve : for there is no difference. [Rom. iii. 22. 

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of 
the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness 
without works. [Rom. iv. 6. 

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal 
of the righteousness of the faith, which he had yet 
being uncircumcised ; that he might be the father 
of all them that believe, though they be not circum- 
cised; that righteousness might be imputed unto 
them also. [Rom. iv. 11. 

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, both 
minister bread for your food, and multiply your 
seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteous- 
ness. [2 Cor. ix. 10. 

I do not frustrate the grace of God : for if right- 
eousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in 
vain. [Gal. ii. 21. 

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with 
truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteous- 
ness. [Eph. vi. 14. 



THE CHRISTIAN GBACES. 211 

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, 
of them that make peace. [ Jas. iii. 18. 

Godliness. 

For Kings, and for all that are in authority, that 
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godli- 
ness and honesty. [1 Tim. ii. 2. m 

And without controversy, great is the mystery of 
godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in 
the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gen- 
tiles, believed on in the world, received up into 
glory. [1 Tim. iii. 16. 

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to 
wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to 
godliness. [1 Tim. vi. 3. 

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and 
destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godli- 
ness : From such withdraw thyself. 

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 

[1 Tim. vi. 5, 6. 

But thou, O man of God, flee these things ; and 
follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, pa- 
tience, meekness. [1 Tim. vi. 11. 

Having a form of godliness, but denying the 
power thereof : from such turn away. 

[2 Tim. iii. 5. 



212 BIBLE LESSORS. 

According as his divine power hath, given unto us 
all things that pertain unto life and godliness, 
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to 
glory and virtue. [2 Pet. i. 3. 

Seeing then that all these things shall be dis- 
solved, What manner of persons ought ye to be in 
all holy conversation, and godliness. 

[2 Pet. iii. 11. 
Meekness. 

Now I Paul myself beseech you, by the meekness 
and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base 
among you, but being absent, am bold toward you. 

[2 Cor. x. 1. 

What will ye ? Shall I come unto you with a rod, 
or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? 

[1 Cor. iv. 21. 

Put on therefore, (as the elect of God, holy and 
beloved) bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of 
mind, meekness, longsuffering. [Col. iii. 12. 

To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but 
gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 

[Titus iii. 2. 

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault: ye 
which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit 
of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be 
tempted. [Gal. vi. 1. 

Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 213 

among you? let him shew out of a good conversation 
his works with meekness of wisdom. [Jas. iii. 13. 

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be 
ready always to give an answer to every man that 
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with 
meekness and fear. [1 Pet. iii. 15. 

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffer 
ing, forbearing one another in love. [Eph. iv. 2. 

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity 
of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the en 
grafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

[Jas. i. 21. 

In meekness instructing them that oppose them- 
selves, if God peradventure will give them rej)ent- 
ance to the acknowledging of the truth. 

[2 Tim. ii. 25. 
ZfOve. 

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you : 
continue ye in my love. 

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in 
my love ; even as I have kept my Father's command- 
ments, and abide in his love. [John xv. 9, 10. 

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that 
which is evil ; cleave to that which is good. 

Be kindly affectioned one to another with broth- 
erly love ; in honor preferring one another 

[Rom. xv. 9, 10. 



214 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore 
love is the fulfilling of the law. [Rom. xiii. 10. 

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth 
anything, nor un circumcision ; but faith which work- 
eth by love. [Gal. v. 6. 

Beloved, let us love one another : for love is of 
God ; and every one that loveth is born of God, and 
knoweth God. 

He that loveth not, knoweth not God ; for God is 
love. 

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, 
because that God sent his only begotten Son into the 
world, that we might live through him. 

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he 
loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for 
our sins. 

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love 
one another. 

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love 
one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is per- 
fected in us. [1 John iv. 7-12. 

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, 
he is a liar : for he that loveth not his brother whom 
he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath 
not seen ? 

And this commandment have we from him, That 
he who loveth God love his brother also. 

[1 John iv. 20, 21. 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 215 

Charity. 

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of 
angels, and have not charity, I am become as sound- 
ing brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and un 
derstand all mysteries, and all knowledge ; and 
though I have all faith, so that I could remove 
mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the 
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and 
have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

Charity suffereth long, and is kind ; charity en 
vieth not ; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed 
up, 

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her 
own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ; 

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the 
truth. 

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all 
things, endureth all things. 

Charity never f aileth : but whether there be proph- 
ecies, they shall fail ; whether there be tongues, they 
shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall 
vanish away. 

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 

But when that which is perfect is come, then that 
which is in part shall be done away. 

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I under- 



216 BIBLE LESSONS, 

stood as a child, I thought as a child : but when I 
became a man, I put away childish things. 

For now we see through a glass, darkly ; but then 
face to face : now I know in part ; but then I shall 
know even as also I am known. 

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three ; 
but the greatest of these is charity. 

[1 Cor. xiii. 143. 
Peace. 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you : 
not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not 
your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

[John xiv. 27. 

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me 
ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have 
tribulation : but be of good cheer; I have overcome 
the world. [John xvi. 33. 

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

[Rom. v. 1. 

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good 
comfort, be of one mind, live in peace : and the God 
of love and peace shall be with you. 

[2 Cor. xiii. 11. 

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and 
hath broken down the middle wall of partition be- 
tween us. 

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 217 

law of commandments contained in Ordinances, for 
to make in himself, of twain, one new man, so mak- 
ing peace. [Eph. ii. 14, 15. 

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, 
of them that make peace. [Jas. iii. 18. 

Joy. 

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink : 
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy 
Ghost. [Rom. xiv. 17. 

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and 
peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope 
through the power of the Holy Ghost. 

[Rom. xv. 13. 

Not for that we have dominion over your faith, 
but are helpers of your joy : for by faith ye stand. 

[2 Cor. i. 24. 

And I wrote this same unto you, lest when I 
came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I 
ought to rejoice, having confidence in you all, that 
my joy is the joy of you all. [2 Cor. ii. 3. 

And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, 
having received the word in much affliction, with joy 
of the Holy Ghost. [1 Thess. i. 6. 

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into 
divers temptations. [Jas. i. 2. 

Obey them that have the rule over you, and sub- 
mit yourselves : for they watch for your souls, as 
they that must give account, that they may do it 



218 BIBLE LESSONS. 

with joy, and not with grief : for that is unprofitable 
for you. [Heb. xiii. 17. 

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of 
Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be 
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

[1 Pet. iv. 13. 

Whom, having not seen, ye love, in whom though 
now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with 
joy unspeakable, and full of glory. [1 Pet. i. 8. 

And these things write we unto you, that your joy 
may be full. [1 John i. 4. 

Patience. 

Truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought 
among you in all patience, in signs and wonders, 
and mighty deeds. [2 Cor. xii. 12. 

That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound 
in faith, in charity, in patience. [Titus ii. 2. 

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who 
through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

[Heb. vi. 12. 

For ye have need of patience, that after ye have 
done the will of God ye might receive the promise. 

[Heb. x. 36. 

Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about 
with so great a crowd of witnesses, let us lay aside 
every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset 
us, and run with patience unto the race that is set 
before us. £Heb. xii. 1. 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES, 219 

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith work- 
eth patience. 

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye 
may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

[Jas. i. 3, 4. 

Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of 
the Lord; behold, the husbandman waiteth for the 
precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience 
for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 

Be ye also patient ; stablish your hearts : for the 
coming of the Lord draweth nigh. [Jas. v. 7, 8. 

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken 
in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering 
affliction, and of patience. 

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye 
have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the 
end of the Lord : that the Lord is very pitiful and 
of tender mercy. [Jas. v. 10, 11. 

Faith. 

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbe- 
lief : for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a 
grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this moun- 
tain, Remove hence to yonder place : and it shall 
remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 

[Matt. xvii. 20. 

Jesus answered, and said unto them, Verily, I say 
unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall 
not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but 



220 BIBLE LESSONS. 

also, if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou re- 
moved, and be thou cast into the Sea, it shall be 
done. [Matt. xxi. 21. 

And Jesus answering, saith unto them, Have faith 
in God. [Mark xi. 22. 

When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at 
him, and turned him about, and said unto them that 
followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so 
great faith, no, not in Israel. [Luke vii. 9. 

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed 
from faith to faith : as it is written, the just shall 
live by faith. [Rom. i. 17. 

Seeing it is one God which shall justify the cir- 
cumcision by faith, and un circumcision through 
faith. [Rom. iii. 30. 

But before faith came, we were kept under the 
Law, shut up unto the faith, which should after- 
wards be revealed. [Gal. iii. 23. 

Holding faith, and a good conscience, which some 
having put away, concerning faith, have made ship- 
wreck. [1 Tim. i. 19. 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the 
evidence of things not seen. 

For by it the Elders obtained a good report. 

Through faith we understand that the worlds 
were framed by the word of God, so that things 
which are seen were not made of things which do 
appear. [Heb. xi. 1-3. 



THE CHRISTIAN GRACES. 221 

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto 
you of the common salvation : it was needful for me 
to write unto you, and exhort you that you should 
earnestly contend for the faith which was once de- 
livered unto the Saints. [Jude 3. 

Virtue. 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, 
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are 
just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things 
are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: 
if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, 
think on these things. [Phil. iv. 8. 

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure con- 
science. [1 Tim. iii. 9. 

Unto the pure all things are pure : but unto them 
that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; 
but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 

[Titus i. 15. 

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the 
Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in 
their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from 
the world. [Jas. i. 27. 

According as his divine power hath given unto us 
all things that pertain unto life and godliness, 
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to 
grace and virtue : 



222 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and 
precious promises; that by these ye might be par- 
takers of the divine nature, having escaped the cor- 
ruption that is in the world through lust. 

And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your 
faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge. 

[2 Pet. i. 3, 4, 5. 

Superintendent recites : 

For if these things be in you, and abound, they 
make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruit- 
ful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and 
cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was 
purged from his old sins. 

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to 
make your calling and election sure : for if ye do 
these things, ye shall never fall : 

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you 
abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you al- 
ways in remembrance of these things, though we 
know them, and be established in the present truth. 

[2 Pet. i. 8-12. 



CONSIDER THE LILIES. 




Directions. Arrange a Cross and Shield similar 
to plan given above ; over the Cross place an Arch. 
This Arch should be made of wood, and covered 
with evergreen and flowers ; place on the Arch the 
motto, " Solomon was not arrayed like one of tm^se." 
These letters may be made of card-board and cov- 
ered with fancy paper, or with flowers. Provide 
letters for the motto, " Consider the Lilies," in the 
same way, taking care to have wires on the back of 
each letter to fasten it on to the shield. The Cross 

223 



224 BIBLE LESSONS. 

may be made of wood, trimmed with evergreen and 
flowers to correspond with the Arch ; the Shield is 
to be of white card-board, with a row of leaves and 
flowers on the edge to give a finish to the design ; 
small holes should be pierced on the surface of the 
Shield to receive the wires on the back of the letters. 
Recite the Exercises in the same manner as other 
motto exercises are recited. The size of the Arch 
and Shield will depend upon the height of the 
church or chapel where it is used. 

THE EXERCISE. 

Singing. 
The Sweet Voice. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 4. 

Recitation. 
1st Scholar. 

The Lesson of the Flowers. 
" Of all things beautiful and bright,. 

In this rich world of ours, 
God gives us naught for our delight, 
More lovely than the flowers. 

He plants them with unsparing hand, 

Alike to great and small ; 
They bloom about the happy land, 

To give delight to all. 



CONSIDER THE LILIES. 225 

Each has its proper beauty ; those 

That make the garden gay, 
And the neglected weed that grows 

Beside the common way. 

And oft our pathway, lone and rough, 
They cheer with glowing hue ; 

And, as if this were not enough, 
God gives them perfume too. 

And well from this might we discern 

His mercies and his power ; 
But more than this, he bids us learn 

A lesson from each flower." 

c 

2nd Scholar. Flowers teach us the Lesson of 

Charity. 
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity en- 
vieth not ; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed 
up, 

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her 
own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ; 

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the 
truth. 

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all 
things, endureth all things. 

[1 Cor, xiii, 4, 5, 6, 7. 
15 



226 BIBLE LESSONS, 

" The sweet Geranium speaks to us 
A lesson of blest charity. 
It hideth not its pretty bloom, 
Nor pocketeth its sweet perfume ; 
To all its store it freely gives, 
And still increaseth while it lives." 

Places C on the Shield. 

O 

3rd Scholar. Flowers teach us of the Omnipo- 
tence of God. 

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With 
men this is impossible ; but with God all things are 
possible. [Matt. xix. 26. 

"I asked the flowers in the soft spring time, 
Wherefore they smiled in their youthful prime, 
When the stormy days so soon would come, 
That would blight forever their beauty and bloom ? 
The sweet flowers answered, c Each day renews 
On our leaves the sunshine that dries the dew; 
Why should we not smile? Till now we have thriven, 
And the sunshine and dew are both from heaven.' " 

Places O on the Shield. 

N 

Ath Scholar. Flowers teach us of the Need of 

God^s Care. 
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for 



CONSIDER THE LILIES. 227 

your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink ; 
.nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not 
the life more than meat, and the body more than 
raiment ? 

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, 
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet 
your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not 
much better than they ? [Matt. vi. 25, 26. 

" It grew within the graded path, 
From blade to bud and flower, 

Nor reeked it of the thoughtless foot, 
That passed it every hour. 

It ope'd its petals to the air, 

And blushed its beauty out, 
Like infants bursting into life, 

Unknowing fear or doubt. 

Oh, tiny flower, so fair and sweet, 

A thousand fears I feel, 
Lest all thy loveliness be crushed 

Beneath some cruel heel. 

Yet who has kept thee, still can keep, 

In spite of every fear ; 
And while the tramping feet are round, 

His shielding hand is near. 



228 BIBLE LESSORS. 

Dear flower, so trustful and so fair, 

My holy teacher be, 
That who has guarded thee so long, 

Can be a guard to me." 

Places N on the Shield. 

S 

bth Scholar. Flowers teach us the Lessoyi of 

Simplicity. 
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent be- 
guiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should 
be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 

[2 Cor. xi. 3. 

" In the snow-drop you may see 

The beauty of simplicity. 

It seeketh not the busy streets, 

But loves to dwell in wildwood sweet, 

With May-flower, moss, and willows tall, 

The fairest flower among them all." 

Places S on the Shield. 

I 

6th Scholar. Flowers teach us of the Immuta- 
bility of God. 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from 
above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, 
with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of 
turning. [Jas. i. 17. 



CONSIDER THE LILIES. 229 

" Our outward life demands them not, 

Then wherefore had they birth ? 
To minister delight to man, 

To beautify the earth ; 
To comfort man, to whisper hope, 

Whene'er his faith is dim, 
For who so eareth for the flowers, 

Will cave much more for him." 

Places I on the Shield. 

D 

7tk Scholar. Flowers teach us our Depend- 
ence on God. 
Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall 
we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal 

shall we be clothed? 

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek : ) 
for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need 
of all these things. [Matt. vi. 31, 32. 

" We thank thee, Father, thou hast given 
Bright flowers on earth, and flowers in heaven * 
Whose loving care is over all, 
From angels high to children small ; 
Dear Saviour, may we ever be 
Faithful followers of thee." 

Places D on the Shield. 



230 BIBLE LESSONS. 

E 

8th Scholar. Flowers teach us of Earnestness. 
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy 
might. [Eccle. ix. 10. 

" Half ankle deep the moul lay black, 
Where the rugged trees reached low, 

When a silvery flower broke up the crest, 
And waved its head of snow. 

The dews fell in its heart that night, 
As it bloomed on the leafy world ; 

Out alone, 'neath the summer stars, 
It opened its heart of pearl. 

No human eye beheld it there, 

For it faded, alas, unseen ; 
And only a little frosted stem 

Remained where the flower had been. 

But the woodland flower passed not away, 
Till its mission was well complete ; 

For it left to the world as it meekly died, 
Its deathless sacred sweet. 

And an earnest life, though its realm be small, 

Its influence will leave behind ; 
Will leave to the world a fragrance pure, 

That is left for all mankind." 

Places E on the Shield. 



CONSIDER THE LILIES. 231 

R 

9th Scholar. Flowers teach us Refinement. 

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetous- 
ness, let it not be once named among you, as becom- 
ing saints ; 

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, 
which are not convenient: but rather giving of 
thanks. [Eph. v. 3, 4. 

" The earth, all light and loveliness, 

In summer's golden hours, 
Smiles in her bridal vesture clad, 

And crowned with flowers. 
So radiantly beautiful, 

So like to heaven above, 
We scarce can deem more fair 

That world of peace and love." 

Places R on the Shield. 

Sestgestg. 

"Why do Lovely Flowers bloom f 

[Golden Rule, p. 139. 

T 

lbth Scholar. Flowers teach us the lesson of 
True Riches. 

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, 



232 BIBLE LESSONS. 

where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where 
thieves break through and steal : 

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and 
where thieves do not break through nor steal. 

For where your treasure is, there will your heart 
be also. [Matt. vi. 19, 20, 21. 

" Read in the golden daffodil 
True riches that your heart may fill. 
Not sordid wealth that clogs the soul, 
To be cast off to reach the goal ; 
But treasures laid away in heaven, 
Of good deeds done, and sins forgiven." 

Places T on the Shield. 

H 

11th Scholar. Flowers teach us the lesson of 
Humility. 

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be 
abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be 
exalted. [Matt, xxiii. 12. 

" In the violet you see 

The lesson of humility. 

Christ was humble ; when on earth 

The manger was his place of birth. 



CONSIDER THE LILIES. 233 

Oh, let us all be like him, 

So humble, meek, and free from sin." 

Places H on the Shield. 

E 

12th Scholar. Flowers teach us Encouragement 
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee 
a crown of life. [Rev. ii. 10. 

. " In the flowers sweet we find 
A lesson you must bear in mind. 
Hope on, though dreary be the storm, 
Behind the cloud the sun shines warm. 
Fear not, though sad may be your plight, 
Look up to God, he'll make it right." 

Places E on the Shield. 



l%th Scholar. Flowers teach us of Lifers Brevity. 
Man that is born of a women is of few days, and 
full of trouble. 

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down : 
he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 

[Job xiv. 1, 2. 
" I love to gaze upon a flower, 
Though 'tis a fragile thing, 
That blooms in beauty for an hour, 
But soon is withering. 



234 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Sweet emblem of life's brevity, 
I'll prize thee evermore, 

For silently it teaches me 
Jehovah to acfore." 



Places L on the Shield. 



lith Scholar. Flowers teach ns of our Immor- 
tality. 

But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them 
all ; yet let him remember the days of darkness ; for 
they shall be many. [Eccle. xi. 8. 

"Thus breathes the bright Amaranth to the pale 

weepers, 
Who bend in a cloud of their agony round : 
Oh, let the gloomy cypress sigh, 

Oh, let the sad winds sweep, 
Where they may think that evermore 

The loved and lost ones sleep. 
But I for them a brighter lot, 
Type of my deathless glow, 
A sphere that holds the immortal soul, 
Freed from all mortal woe." 

Places I on the Shiud. 



CONSIDER THE LILIES. 235 



lbth Scholar. Flowers teach us of the Love of 
God. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, 
should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

[John iii. 16. 

He that loveth not, knoweth not God ; for God is 
love. [1 John iv. 8. 

" Now learn the lesson of the rose, 
That everywhere in beauty grows ; 
The love of God it speaks to all, 
From seraphs high to children small, — 
The love that's boundless as the sky, 
Extensive as Infinity." 

Places L on the Shield. 

I 

l§th Scholar. Flowers Instruct us. 

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not 
in the way of evil men. 

" Not a tree, 
A plant, a leaf, a blossom, but contains 
A folio volume. We may read, and read, 



236 BIBLE LESSORS. 

And read again, and still find something new, 
Something to please, and something to instruct." 

Places I on the Shield. 

E 

17th Scholar. Flowers teach ns of the Ever- 
watchful care of God. 

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and 
one of them shall not fall on the ground without 
your Father. 

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 

Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than 
many sparrows. [Matt. x. 29, 30, 31. 

" God careth for the flowers, 

He guards them day by day, 
The rich perfume they offer up, 
By Him are mingled in each cup, 
To him they rise alway. 

God careth for the flowers, 

The subtle robes and bright, 
That fit the growth of bud and flower, 
By Him are woven every hour, 
With viewless shuttle's flight." 

Places E on the Shield. 



CONSIDEB THE LILIES. 237 



18th Scholar. Flowers teach us Sympathy 

with one another. 
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the 
law of Christ. 

" The enameled earth, that from her verdant breast 
Lavished spontaneously ambrosial flowers, 
The very sight of which can soothe to rest 
A thousand cares, and charm our sweetest hours." 

Places S on the Shield. 

Singing. 
Song of the Lilies. 

[Golden Censer, p. 114. 

l§th Scholar. And why take ye thought for rai- 
ment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they 
grow ; they toil not, neither do they spin : 

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in 
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

[Matt. vi. 28, 29. 

20th Scholar. 

" Consider ye the lilies of the field ! 

They do not spin 
From all the yellow grains of sand 

The fibres thin, 



238 BIBLE LESSONS. 

And lay them by, with careful hand, 
In their bright chalices of light, 
To bleach out pure and white, 
Among the cleansing drops of rain. 

Consider ye the lilies of the field ! 

They do not toil 
To gather up the grains of nourishment 

From out the soil, 
And drink the rains that heaven has sent, 
To let the cool refreshment of it be, 
And gather up the animalcule, 
To fill the maw of some great hungry beast ! " 

21st Scholar. 
" Consider ye the lilies of the field ! 

They sit all day 
Among the carpetings of emerald grass 

Beside the way, 
And watch the busy ants and beetles pass, 
And see the birds bring grasses for their nest, 
To build themselves a place of rest. 
They watch the cheerful, singing bees 
Make sweet the hearts of dead, decayed trees. 

Consider ye the lilies of the field ! 

They ever wear, 
Upon each graceful, slender form, 

Garments all fair ; 



CONSIDER THE LILIES. 239 

Fair as the fairest morn, and snug and warm ; 

Clear as the silver clearness of the moon, 

And golden with the glory of the noon. 

The jewels of their neck must all have been hid 

away 
In the same casket with the bow of day, 
And caught the splendor of their deep dyes there, 
These prisms sparkle forth so bright and rare. 
In all his royal glory Solomon the king 
Had not a robe as bright as these they bring 
To deck with beauty Palestine's green field." 

22nd Scholar. 

" Consider ye the lilies of the field ! 

They know no need, 
Although their jeweled fingers toil not, 

For He doth feed 
And clothe them with His hand : lilies are not forgot. 
And if He cares for blossoms of the grass, 
That spring up in a day, and quickly pass 
As stubble to the oven's burning flame, 
Shall He not care for those who bear His name ? 
Shall He not care for those whom He redeems ? 
Although the blessing of His presence seems 
Hidden behind the clouds a little while, 
You will behold the morning of His smile ; 
For He who cares for lilies of the field, 



240 BIBLE LESSORS. 

Opens His hand to feed, and clothe, and bless, 
O ye faithless ! " 

Singing by School and Congregation. 
God our Guardian. 

[Tune, Arlington. 

On God we build our sure defense ; 

In God our hopes repose ; 
His hand protects our varying life, 

And guards us from our foes. 

Our minds shall be serene and calm, 

Like Siloa's peaceful flood, 
Whose soft and silver streams refresh 

The city of our God. 

The Commandments. 

1st. Thou shalt have no gods but me ; 

2nd. Before no idol bow the knee. 

Zrd. Take not the name of God in vain, 

4:th. Nor dare the Sabbath day profane. 

5th. Give both thy parents honor due ; 

Qth. Take heed that thou no murder do. 

7th. Abstain from words and deeds unclean, 

8th. Nor steal though thou art poor and mean, 

dth. Nor make a willful lie, and love it ; 

10£A. What is thy neighbor's, dare not covet. 



BREVITY OF LIFE. 

Note. This Exercise is designed for the younger 
portion of the Sabbath-school, and should be recited 
in the same manner as Exercise, "God's Works." 
The selections for singing are left for the leader to 
decide upon. 

Singing. 

1st Ques. What is Life ? 

Arts. " Life is a narrow span, 

A short, uncertain day ; 
And if we reach the age of man, 

It soon will pass away ; 
We may, for aught we know, 

This hour the summons hear, 
To call us where the wicked go, 
Or where the saints appear." 

Und Ques. Since life is so uncertain, what is 
evident ? 
Ans. " Think, oh, my soul, how much depends 
On the short period of to-day ; 
Shall time, which heaven in mercy lends, 
Be negligently thrown away ? " 

Zrd Ques. What is said of the strait and narrow 
row way ? " 

16 241 



242 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Arts. " There is a path that leads to God, 
All others go astray ; 
Narrow but pleasant is the road, 
And Christians love the way." 

&th Ques. To what place does it lead ? 

Ans. " It leads straight through this world of sin, 

And dangers must be passed ; 
But those who boldly walk therein, 

Will come to heaven at last." 

5th Ques. What is said of the other path ? 
Ans. " But the broad road where thousands go, 

Lies near and opens fair, 
And many turn aside, we know, 

To walk with sinners there." 

6th Ques. In order to walk in the narrow way 
what should we do ? 

Ans. " Strive, for the way is strait 
In which the Saviour trod, 
And narrow is the gate 
That leadeth up to God. 

Strive, for there are but few 

Who find the living way, 
Strive, 'ere life's setting sun 

Shall set in thickest gloom." 



BREVITY OF LIFE. 243 

7 th Ques. Who will help us, if we strive aright ? 
Ans. " Ask ; mercy shall be given, 
Seek, as for hidden gold ; 
Knock, and the Lord of heaven 
The gate will wide unfold." 

8th Ques. To whom should we look for forgive- 
ness? 

Ans. " 'Tis Jesus, who'll our sins forgive, 
Oh, haste, before him fall ; 
For us he died, that we might live, 
And endless pleasures know." 

9th Ques. What did our Saviour do to atone for 
our sins ? 

Ans. " To save our souls from pains unknown, 
He freely offered up his own ; 
That sinners who condemned stood, 
Might find salvation in his blood." 

10th Ques. What kind of a death did he suffer? 
Ans. " Nailed to the cross, with torturing smart, 

While anguish racked his tender heart, 
See by the hand of wicked men, 

The Lord of Life and Glory slain." 

11th Ques. In view of his great suffering for us, 
what should we do ? 



244 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Ans. " Lamb of God, we fall before thee, 
Humbly trusting in thy cross, 
That alone be all our glory, 

All things else we count but loss." 

12th Ques. If we trust in him, what assurance of 
his forgiveness do we have ? 

Ans. " Jesus gives us true repentance, 
By his spirit sent from heaven ; 
Jesus whispers this sweet sentence, 
' Son, thy sins are all forgiven.' " 
13th Ques. What will he give us? 
Ans. " Faith he'll give us to believe him, 
Grateful hearts his love to praise ; 
Want we wisdom ? he must give it, 
Hearing ears, and seeing eyes." 
lAth Ques. What will they find, who learn of Him? 
Ans. "They shall find rest, who learn of him, 
He's of a meek and lowly mind ; 
But passion rages like the sea, 

And pride is restless as the wind." 
15th Ques. What is the condition of those who 
follow Him? 

Ans. " Blest is the man whose shoulders take 
His yoke, and bear it with delight, 
His yoke is easy to the neck, 

His grace will make the burden light." 



BREVITY OF LIFE. 245 

16th Ques. What should we always keep in view? 
Ans. " Lord, if our days must fly, 

W r ;'ll keep their end in sight ; 
We'll spend them all in wisdom's way, 
And let them speed their flight." 

17th Ques. How may we be kept in wisdom's 
ways ? 

Ans. "Approach my soul to wisdom's gate, 
Approach without delay ; 
No one who watches there, and waits, 
SI) all e'er be turned away." 

18th Ques. When is the accepted time? 
Ans. " Tis folly and a crime, 

To put religion by; 
For now is the accepted time, 

To-morrow we may die." 

19th Ques. What should be the object and chief 
end of our lives? 

Ans. " Suro it consists in this alone ; 

That God my Maker may be known ; 
So known, that I may love him still, 
And form my actions by his will." 

20th Ques. In view of the uncertainty of life, 
and the necessity of a preparation for death, what 
should our prayer be ? 



246 BIBLE LESSORS. 

Ans. " Lord of my life, inspire our hearts 
With heavenly ardor, peace divine ; 
Nor let thy presence e'er depart, 

For strength, and life, and death are thine." 

SiKGr^G. 

DEATH. 

Ts there not an appointed time to man upon earth? 
are not his days also like the days of a hireling? 

[Job. vii. 1. 
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and 
full of trouble. 

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down : 
he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 

[Job xiv. 1, 2. 

Seeing his days are determined, the number of 
his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his 
bounds that he cannot pass ; 

Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall 
accomplish, as a hireling, his day. [Job xiv. 5, 6. 

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that 
it will sprout again, and that the tender branch 
thereof will not cease. 

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and 
the stock thereof die in the ground; 



DEATH. 247 

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and 
bring forth boughs like a plant. 

But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man 
giveth up the ghost, and where is he ? 

[Job xiv. 7, 8, 9, 10. 

As the waters fall from the sea, and the flood de- 
cay eth and drieth up ; 

So man lieth down, and riseth not : till the heav- 
ens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised 
out of their sleep. [Job. xiv. 11, 12. 

If a man die, shall he live again ? all the days of 
my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 

[Job xiv. 14. 

When a few years are come, then I shall go the 
way whence I shall not return. [Job xvi. 22. 

For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and 
to the house appointed for all living. 

[Job xxx. 23. 

What man is he that liveth, and shall not see 
death ? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the 
grave ? [Psa. lxxxix. 48. 

There is no man that hath power over the spirit to 
retain the spirit ; neither hath he power in the day 
of death : and there is no discharge in that war ; 
neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given 
to it, [Eccle. viii. 7. 



248 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden 
bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the 
fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : 
and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. 

[Eccle. xi. 6, 7. 

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I 
cry? All flesh is grass, and all the godliness there- 
of is as the flower of the field : 

The grass withereth, the flower f adeth ; because 
the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it : surely the 
people is grass. [Isa. xl. 6, 7. 

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and 
this mortal must put on immortality. 

So when this corruption shall have put on incor- 
ruption, and this mortal shall have put on immor- 
tality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that 
is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

O death, where is they sting ? O grave, where is 
thy victory ? 

The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin 
is the law. [1 Cor. xv. 53-56. 

" Leaves have their time to fall, 

And flowers to wither at the north-wind's breath, 
And stars to set, — but all, 

Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death. 



DEATH. 249 

Day is for mortal care, 

Eve, for pV* d meetings round the joyous hearth, 
Night, for the breams of sleep, the voice of prayer; 

But all for thee, thou mightiest of earth. 

Youth and the opening rose 

May look like things too glorious to decay, 
And smile at thee, — but thou art not of those 

That wait the ripen' d bloom to seize their prey. 

We know when moons shall wane, 

When summer birds from far shall cross the sea, 
When autumn's hue shall tinge the golden grain — 

But who shall teach us when to look for thee ? 

Is it when spring's first gale 

Comes forth to whisper where the violets lie ? 
Is it when roses in our path grow pale ? — 

They have one season — all are ours to die. 

Thou art where billows foam, 

Thou art where music melts upon the air ; 
Thou art around us in our peaceful home, 

And the world calls us forth — and thou art there. 

Thou art where friend meets friend, 

Beneath the shadow of the elm to rest — - 

Thou art where foe meets foe, and trumpets rend 
The skies, and swords beat down the princely 
crest. 



250 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Leaves have their time to fall, 

And flowers to wither at the north-wind's breath, 
And stars to set, — but all, 

Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death." 

THE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 

So teach us to number our days, that we may ap- 
ply our hearts unto wisdom. [Psa. lxl. 12. 

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy 
might ; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowl- 
edge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. 

[Eccle. ix. 10. 

But know this, that if the goodman of the house 
had known in what watch the thief would come, he 
would have watched, and would not have suffered 
his house to be broken up. 

Therefore be ye also ready : for in such an hour as 
ye think not the Son of man cometh. 

[Matt. xxiv. 43, 44. 

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights 
burning ; 

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for 
their lord, when he will return from the wedding ; 
that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open 
unto him immediately. 

Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when 



THE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 251 

he cometh shall find watching: verily, I say unto 
you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit 
down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 

[Luke xii. 35, 36, 37. 

So that ye come behind in no gift ; waiting for the 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [1 Cor. i. 7. 

While we look not at the things which are seen, 
but at the things which are not seen ; for the things 
which are seen are temporal ; but the things which 
are not seen are eternal. [2 Cor. iv. 18. 

For our conversation is in heaven ; from whence 
also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

[Phil. iii. 20. 

For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation hath 
appeared to all men. 

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly 
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, 
in this present world. [Titus ii. 11, 12. 

Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious 
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus 
Christ. [Titus ii. 13. 

But the end of all things is at hand : be ye there- 
fore sober, and watch unto prayer. [1 Pet. iv. 7. 

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, 
what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy 
conversation and godliness, [2 Pet. iii. 11. 



252 BIBLE LESSONS. 

God is in Heaven. 
Dialogue for two little girls. 

1st. 

God is in heaven — can he hear 
A feeble prayer like mine ? 

2nd. 

Yes, little child, thou need'st not fear, 
He listeneth to thine. 

1st. 

God is in heaven — can he see 
When I am doing wrong? 

2nd. 
Yes, that he can ; he looks at thee 
All day, and all night long. 

1st. 
God is in heaven — would he know 
If I should tell a lie? 

2nd. 
Yes, if thou said'st it very low, 
He'd hear it in the sky. 



the lord's pkayer. 253 

1st. 

God is in heaven — does he care, 
Or is he good to me ? 

2nd. 
Yes, all thou hast to eat or wear, 
'Tis God that giveth thee. 

1st. 

God is in heaven — can I go 
To thank him for his care ? 

2nd. 
Not yet ; but love him here below, 
And he will see it there. 

1st. 

God is in heaven — may I pray 
To go there when I die ? 

2nd. 
Yes, love, be good, and then one day 
He'll call thee to the sky. 

The Lord's Prayer. 

Our Father in heaven, 

We hallow thy name : 
May thy kingdom holy 

On earth be the same. 



2&4 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Oh, give to us daily 
Our portion of bread ; 

It is from thy bounty 
That all must be fed. 

Forgive our transgressions, 
And teach us to know 

That humble compassion 
Which pardons each foe. 

Keep us from temptations, 
From weakness and sin ; 

And thine be the glory 
±» orever — Amen. 

Little Prayer. 

Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, 
Look upon a little child ; 
Pity my simplicity, 
Hurler me to come to thee. 

Fain I would to thee be brought, 
Gracious God, forbid it not; 
In the kingdom of thy grace, 
Give a little child a place. 



THE TWO WAYS. 

Note. If desired, this Exercise may be used for 
class recitations, by giving the answers to each ques- 
tion to a class, and when the question is asked by 
the Superintendent, the class is to arise together, 
and each one recite in turn, the Scripture references 
given in answer. For this purpose, Scripture 
references are given, so that it can be used, if 
wished for, in this manner. 



M 



THE EXERCISE. 

Singing. 
Ask for the old path. 

[Royal Diadem, p. 36. 

In what two ways are all of the human family 

naturally going ? 

-* 
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the 

gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to de- 
struction, and many there be which go in thereat : 

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way 
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find 
it. [Matt. vii. 13, 14. 

To what place does the strait and narrow way 
lead? 

255 



256 BIBLE LESSONS. 

" Think'st thou 'mid flowery fields it lies, 
The path thine eager spirit tries, 

Where faith and hope have striven? 
Think'st thou the skies are always clear, 
That love and joy are always near 

The path that leads to heaven? 

And sweetly, in the narrow way, 
Must dear ones greet thee day by day? 

Ah, no ! by tempests driven, 
The storm clouds hover o'er thy path, 
Which seems to thee the way of wrath, 

The path that leads to heaven. 

And graves are there, and sighs and tears, 
And sickness with its train of fears, 

And hearts with anguish riven; 
And martyrs' blood and dying groans, 
And dark with woes the world disowns, 

The path that leads to heaven. 

Yes, 'tis the way, the way to God, 
The way by ancient worthies trod, 

Where they have fought and striven, 
The way Christ opened when he died ; 
And shall we fear the path he trod, 

The path that leads to heaven ? " 

To what place does the broad way lead ? 



THE TWO WAYS. 257 

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not 
in the way of evil men. 

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 

For they sleep not, unless they have done mis- 
chief ; and their sleep is taken away, unless they 
cause some to fall. 

For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink 
the wine of violence. 

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that 
shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 

[Prov. iv. 14-19. 

Into which of these two paths do all naturally 
enter ? 

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. 
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, 
there is none that doeth good. 

' The Lord looked down from heaven upon the 
children of men, to see if there were any that did 
understand, and seek God. 

They are all gone aside, they are all together be- 
come filthy : there is none that doeth good, no, not 
one. [Psa. xiv. 1, 2, 3. 

Jer. vi. 15, 16. — Psa. x. 4, 7, 13. — Psa. xii. 8. 

Sisgixg. 
Which Way? 

[Pure Gold, p. 132. 
17 



258 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Who may be said to be going in the broad way ? 

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, 
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of 
envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 

Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boast- 
ers, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

Without understanding, covenant-breakers, with- 
out natural affection, implacable, unmerciful : 

Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they 
which commit such things are worthy of death, not 
only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do 
them. [Rom. i. 29-32. 

Rom iii. 10-18.— 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 

Recitation. 
" Destruction's dangerous road, 
What multitudes pursue ; 
While that which leads the soul to God, 
Is known or sought by few. 

Believers find the way, 

Through Christ the living gate ; 
But those who hate this holy way, 

Complain it is too strait. 
If self must be denied, 

And sin no more caressed, 
They rather choose the way that's wide, 

And strive to think it best. 



THE TWO WAYS. 259 

Encompassed by a throng, 

On numbers they depend, 
They say so many can't be wrong, 

And miss a happy end. 

But hear the Saviour's word, 
Strive for the heavenly gate ; 

Many will call upon the Lord, 
And find their cries too late." 

What is the danger of going in the broad way ? 

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out ! and 
how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God 
distributeth sorrows in his anger. 

They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff 
that the storm carrieth away. [Job xxi. 17, 18. 

Psa. xxxiv. 16. — Pro. i. 31. — Isa. xlviii. 22. — 
Eccle. viii. 13. — Jer. xxiii. 12. — Rom. iii. 16, 17. 
— Rom. viii. 13. — Heb. x. 31. — Psa. cxxv. 5. 

To what will the broad way lead those who walk 
therein ? 

Give them according to their deeds, and according 
to the wickedness of their endeavors: give them 
after the work of their hands ; render to them their 
desert. 

Because they regard not the works of the Lord, 
nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy 
them, and not build them up. [Psa. xxviii. 4, 5. 



260 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Job xxi. 29, 30. — Job xxxi. 2, 3. — Psa. xxxvii. 1, 
2, 38.— Mai. iv. 1.— Matt. xxv. 41.— 2 Thess. i. 7, 
8, 9. 

Singing. 

The Good Old Way. 

[Pure Gold, p. 18. 

Who may be said to be going in the narrow 
way? 

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, 
What are these which are arrayed in white robes ? 
and whence came they ? 

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he 
said to me, These are they which came out of great 
tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made 
them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and 
serve him day and night in his temple : and he that 
sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any 
more ; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any 
heat. 

For the Lamb which is in the midst of theni shall 
feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains 
of waters : and God shall wipe away all tears from 
their eyes. [Rev. vii. 13, 17. 



THE TWO WAYS. 261 

What is the narrow way sometimes called ? 
. Wisdom's way. 

What is said of Wisdom's way ? 

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get 
wisdom : and with all thy getting get understand- 
ing. 

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee : she shall 
bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her. 

She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace : 
a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 

Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings ; and the 
years of thy life shall be many. 

I have taught thee in the way of wisdom ; I have 
led thee in right paths. [Prov. iv. 7-11. 

Prov. iii. 13-18.— Prov. iii. 21-26.— Prov. viii. 33- 
36. 

What is said of those who walk in this narrow 
way? 

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel 
of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, 
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 

But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in 
his law doth he meditate day and night. 

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers 
of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season ; 
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he 
doeth shall prosper. [Psa. i. 1, 2, 3. 



262 BIBLE LESSONS. 

What difficulties are in the way of sinners enter- 
ing this way ? 

Love not the world, neither the things that are in 
the world. If any man love the world the love of 
the Father is not in him. 

For aS that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, 
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not 
of the Father, but is of the world. 

And the world passeth away and the lust thereof ; 
but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. 

[1 John ii. 15, 16, 17. 

Gal. iii. 10.— John v. 40.— Gen. iii. 22. 

How have they been removed ? 

Not by works of righteousness which we have 
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the 
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy 
Ghost ; 

Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus 
Christ our Saviour ; 

That being justified by his grace, we should be 
made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

[Titus iii. 5, 6, 7. 

1 John v. 3, 4, 5.— Heb. x. 19, 20.— Gal. iii. 13. 

Singing. 
Just as I am^ without one plea. 

[Vestry Melodies, p. 110. 



THE TWO WAYS. 263 

What must we do in order to keep in the narrow 
way? 

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war 
after the flesh : 

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, 
but mighty 'through God to the pulling down of 
strong holds :) 

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing 
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, 
and bringing into captivity every thought to the 
obedience of Christ; 

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobe- 
dience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 

[2 Cor. x. 3-6. 

1 Tim. i. 18, 19.— 1 Tim. vi. 12. 

What enemies do we have to encounter ? 

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but 
against principalities, against powers, against the 
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual 
wickedness in high places. [Eph. vi. 12. 

Eph. vi. 13-20. 

Recitation. 
The Good Old Way. 

" Lift up your heads, Immanuel's friends, 
And taste the pleasure Jesus sends ; 



264 BIBLE LESSORS. 

Let nothing cause you to delay, 
But hasten on in the Good Old Way. 

Our conflicts here, though great they be, 
Shall not prevent our victory ; 
If we but watch, and strive, and pray, 
Like soldiers on the Good Old Way 

Though Satan may his power employ, 
Our peace and comfort to destroy ; 
Yet never fear, we'll win the day, 
And praise, and sing the Good Old Way. 

Oh, Good Old Way, how good thou art ! 

May none of us from thee depart; 

But may our actions always say 

We're going home in the Good Old Way." 

School and Congregation rise and sing. 

" Broad is the road that leads to death, 
And thousands walk together there; 

But wisdom shows a narrow path, 
With here and there a traveler. 

c Deny thyself, and take thy cross,' 
Is the Redeemer's great command ; 

Nature must count her gold but dross, 
If she would gain this heavenly land." 



GOOD AXD EVIL. 265 

GOOD AND EYIL. 

When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: 
and when I waited for light, there came darkness. 

[Job. xxx. 26. 

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding 
the evil and the good. [Prov. xv. 3. 

Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not de- 
part from his house. [Prov. xvii. 13. 

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; 
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness ; 
that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter ! 

[Isa. v. 20. 

Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will 
obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we 
send thee; that it may be well with us, when we 
obey the voice of the Lord our God. [ Jer. xlii. 6. 

Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live : and so 
the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye 
have spoken. [Amos v. 14. 

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good 
gifts unto your children, how much more shall your 
Father which is in heaven give good things to them 
that ask him ? [Matt. vii. 11. 

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart 
bringeth forth good things : and an evil man out of 
the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 

[Matt. xii. 35. 



266 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that 
do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, 
evil is present with me. v [Rom. vii. 20, 21. 

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the 
word of righteousness : for he is a babe. 

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full 
age, even those who by reason of use have their senses 
exercised to discern both good and evil. 

[Heb. v. 13, 14. 

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that 
which is good. He that doeth good is of God : but 
he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 

[3 John 11. 

LIGHT AND DARKNESS. 

And God said, Let there be light : and there was 
light. 

And God saw the light that it was good : and God 
divided the light from the darkness. 

And God called the light Day, and the darkness 
he called Night. [Gen. i. 3, 4, 5. 

Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and 
the spark of his fire shall not shine. 

The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his 
candle shall be put out with him. [Job xviii. 5, 6. 

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even 
the night shall be light about me. 



LIGHT AND DARKNESS. 267 

Tea, the darkness hidetli not from thee ; but the 
night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light 
are both alike to thee. [Psa. cxxxix. 11, 12. 

But the path of the just is as the shining light, 
that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 

The way of the wicked is as darkness : they know 
not at what they stumble. [Prov. iv. 18, 19. 

The light of the righteous rejoiceth : but the lamp 
of the wicked shall be put out. [Prov. xiii. 9. 

Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is 
for the eyes to behold the sun : 

But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them 
all ; yet let him remember the days of darkness ; for 
they shall be many. [Eccle. xi. 7, 8. 

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil ; 
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness : 
that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter ! 

[Isa. v. 20. 

Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth 
justice overtake us : we wait for light, but behold 
obscurity ; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 

[Isa. lix. 9. 

All things were made by him; and without him 
was not any thing made that was made. 

In him was life ; and the life was the light of men. 

And the light shineth in darkness ; and the dark- 
ness comprehended it not. [John i. 3, 4, 5. 



268 BIBLE LESSONS. 

And this is the condemnation, that light is come 
into the world, and men loved darkness rather than 
light, because their deeds were evil. 

[John iii. 19. 

Then Jesns said unto them, Yet a little while is 
the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, 
lest darkness come upon you : for he that walketh in 
darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 

[John xii. 35. 

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the 
Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden 
things of darkness, and will make manifest the 
counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man 
have praise of God. [1 Cor. iv. 5. 

For God, who commanded the light to shine out 
of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the 
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the 
face of Jesus Christ. [2 Cor. iv. 6. 

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbe- 
lievers : for what fellowship hath righteousness with 
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light 
with darkness? [2 Cor. vi. 14. 

All the class recite : 

Again, a new commandment I write unto you, 
which thing is true in him, and in you : because the 
darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 

[1 John ii. 8. 



ROCK OF AGES. 

For 10 scholars. 

1st. And he said, The Lord is my rock and my 
fortress, and my deliverer ; 

The God of my rock ; in him will I trust : he is 
my shield, and the horn of my salvation ; my high 
tower, and my refuge, my saviour ; thou savest me 
from violence. [2 Sam. xxii. 2, 3. 

2nd. For who is God, save the Lord ? and who 
is a rock, save our God ? 

God is my strength and power; and he maketh 
my way perfect. [2 Sam. xxii. 32, 33. 

3rc?. The Lord liveth ; and blessed be my rock ; 
and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. 

[2 Sam. xxii. 47. 

Ath. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. 

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my de- 
liverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; 
my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my 
high tower. [Psa. xviii. 1, 2. 

hth. Bow down thine ear to me ; deliver me 
speedily: be thou a strong rock, for a house of de- 
fense to save me. 

269 



270 BIBLE LESSONS. 

For thou art my rock and my fortress ; therefore 
for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 

[Psa. xxxi. 2, 3. 

&h. " Rock of Ages, cleft for me," 

Thoughtlessly the maiden sung; 
Fell the words unconsciously, 

From her girlish, gleeful tongue — 
Sang as little children sing ; 

Sang as sing the birds in spring ; 
Fell the words like light leaves down 

On the current of the tune : 
" Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 
Let me hide myself in thee." 

1th. " Let me hide myself in thee ; " 

Felt her soul no need to hide ; 
Sweet the song as song could be, 

And she had no thought beside ; 
All the words unheedingly 

Fell from lips untouched by care s 
Dreaming not that each might be 

On some other lips a prayer : 
" Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 
Let me hide myself in thee*" 

8th* " Rock of Ages, cleft for me," 

*Twas a woman sung them now, 



EOCK OF AGES. 271 

* Pleadingly and prayerfully ; 

Every word her heart did know. 
Rose the song as storm-tossed bird 

Beats with weary wing the air ; 
Every note with sorrow stirred, 

Every syllable a prayer : 
" Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 
Let me hide myself in thee." 

9th. " Rock of Ages, cleft for me," 

Lips grown aged sung the hymn, 
Trustingly and tenderly, 

Voice grown weak, and eyes grown dim— 
" Let me hide myself in thee," 

Trembling though the voice, and low, 
Ran the sweet strain peacefully, 

Like a river in its flow. 
Sung as only they can sing 

Who life's thorny path have pressed ; 
Sung as only they can sing 

Who behold the promised rest : 
" Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 
Let me hide myself in thee." 

10th. " Rock of Ages, cleft for me," 
Sung above a coffin lid. 
Underneath all restfully, 
All life's joys and sorrows hid. 



272 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Nevermore, O storm-tossed soul, * 

Nevermore from wind or tide, 
Nevermore from billows roll, 

Wilt thou need thyself to hide. 
Could the sightless, sunken eyes, 

Closed beneath the soft gray hair, 
Could the mute and stiffened lips 

Move again in pleading prayer, 
Still, ay, still the words would be, 
" Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 
Let me hide myself in thee." 

ROCK OF AGES. 

For 12 scholars. 

1st. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye 
should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were 
under the cloud, and all passed through the sea ; 

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and 
in the sea ; 

And did all eat the same spiritual meat ; 

And did all drink the same spiritual drink, for 
they drank of that Rock that followed them : and 
that Rock was Christ. [1 Cor. x. 1-4. 

"Is be a Rock? How firm he stands, 
The Kock of Ages never moves ; 



ROCK OF AGES. 273 

Yet the same streams that from him flow, 
Attend us all the desert through." 

2nd, For who is God save the Lord ? or who is 
a rock save our God ? 

It is God that girdeth me with strength, and 
maketh my way perfect. [Psa. xviii. 31, 32. 

" Thro' a weary land I tread, 
Burning skies are overhead, 
While the sands around my path 
' Glimmer with a scorching wrath ; 
Mighty Rock, to thee I fly, 
Weary, fainting, near to die." 

Sr d. The Lord liveth ; and blessed be my rock ; 
and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 

[Psa. xxxi. 46. 

" On Christ, salvation rests secure, 
The Rock of Ages must endure ; 
Nor can that faith be overthrown 
Which rests upon the Living Stone." 

ith. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me 
in his pavilion : in the secret of his tabernacle shall 
he hide me ; he shall set me up upon a rock. 

[Psa. xxvii. 5. 

" Rock of safety, Rock of grace, 
Ever be my hiding place ; 
18 



274 BIBLE LBSSOSTS. 

Oh, how blissful thus to lie, 
Safe to live, and sweet to die." 

5th. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock ; be 
not silent to me : lest, if thou be silent to me, I be- 
come like them that go down into the pit. 

[Psa. xxviii. 1. 
" There's a fount where the weary may drink and be 

blest, 
There's a Rock where the faithful securely may rest: 
Oh, that fount is the life giving water that flows 
From Jesus, the Rock of eternal repose." 

6th. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou 
forgotten me ? why go I mourning because of the 
oppression of the enemy? [Psa. xlii. 9. 

" 'Tis the Rock where the souls of the good and the 

just 
Firmly anchored for ages their hope and their trust : 
5 Tis the Rock that will stand when the river of time 
Is lost in the ocean of rapture sublime." 

7th. From the end of the earth will I cry unto 
thee, when my heart is overwhelmed : lead me to 
the rock that is higher than I. [Psa. lxi. 2. 

"'Tis the Rock that was cleft by the Ancient of 

Days; 
'Tis the Roqk that, when dying, transported, we'll 

praise ; 



ROCK OF AGES. 275 

We will sing of that Rock when our journey is o'er, 
And calmly we'll rest on that Evergreen Shore." 

$th. He only is my rock and my salvation ; he is 
my defense ; I shall not be greatly moved. 

[Psa. lxii. 2. 
" Christ, my Rock, will me defend, 
To the weary journey's end; 
Till the work of life is done, 
And the crown of victory won. 
Mighty Rock, ah, then with thee, 
Evermore my soul shall be." 
9th. Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto 1 
may continually resort : thou hast given command- 
ment to save me ; for thou art my rock and my for- 
tress. [Psa. lxxi. 8. 
" He is our Rock when troubles rise, 

And storms and tempests lower ; 
He rides triumphant in the skies, 
And saves us by his power." 
10^. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, 
my God, and the Rock of my salvation. 

[Psa. lxxxix. 26. 
" Name above every name, thy praise 
Shall fill the remnant of my days ; 
Jehovah Jesus, name divine, 
Rock of Salvation, thou art mine." 



276 BIBLE LESSONS. 

11th. Oh come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us 
make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 

[Psa. lxlv. 1. 

" Cling close to the Rock, closely to-day, 
Ere waves of temptation shall sweep thee away ; 
Cling close to the Rock in the time of thy grief, 
For Jesus brings speedy and precious relief." 

12th. And a man shall be as a hiding place from 
the wind, and a covert from the tempest ; as rivers 
of waters in a dry place, as the shadow of a great 
rock in a weary land. [Isa. xxxii. 2. 

" Cling close to the Rock, close to the Rock, 
Though the tempests may rage, and the billows may 

shock, 
For Jesus, the Saviour, thy Refuge and Friend, 
In mercy hath loved thee, and loves to the end." 

THE WIDOW OF NAIN. 

1st. The Sentinel at the gate. 

" The Roman sentinel stood helm'd and tall 
Beside the gate of Nain. The busy tread 
Of comers to the city mart was done, 
For it was almost noon, and a dead heat 
Quiver'd upon the fine and sleeping dust, 



THE WIDOW OF XAIN. 277 

And the cold snake crept panting from the wall, 
And basked his scaly circles in the sun. 
Upon his spear the soldier leaned, and kept 
His idle watch, and, as his drowsy dream 
Was broken by the solitary foot 
Of some poor mendicant, he raised his head 
To curse him for a tributary Jew, 
And slumberously dozed on." 

2nd. And it came to pass the day after, that he 
went into a city called Nam ; and many of his dis- 
ciples went with him, and much people. 

Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, 
behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only 
son of his mother, and she was a widow : and much 
people of the city was with her. 

[Luke vii. 11, 12. 

3rd. The Funeral. 

" 'Twas now high noon, 
The dull low murmur of a funeral 
Went through the city — the sad sound of feet 
Unmixed with voices — and the sentinel 
Shook off his slumber, and gazed earnestly 
Up the wide street along whose paved way 
The silent throng crept slowly. They came on, 
Bearing a body heavily on its bier, 



278 BIBLE LESSORS. 

And by the crowd that in the burning sun, 
Walk'd with forgetful sadness, 'twas of one 
Mourned with uncommon sorrow. The broad gate 
Swung on its hinges, and the Roman bent 
His spear-point downwards as the bearers pass'd, 
Bending beneath their burden." 

ith. The Only Mourner. 

" There was one — 
Only one mourner. Close behind the bier, 
Crumpling the pall up in her wither'd hands, 
Follow'd an aged woman. Her short steps 
Falter'd with weakness, and a broken moan 
Fell from her lips, thicken' d convulsively 
As her heart bled afresh. The pitying crowd 
Follow'd apart, but no one spoke to her, 
She had no kinsmen. She had lived alone — 
A widow with one son. He was her all — 
The only tie she had in the wide world — 
And he was dead. They could not comfort her." 

bth. The Coming of Jesus. 

" Jesus drew near to Nam as from the gate 
The funeral came forth. His lips were pale 
With the noon's sultry heat. The beaded sweat 
Stood thickly on his brow, and on the worn 
And simple latchets of his sandals lay, 



THE WIDOW OF NAIN. 279 

Thick, the dust of travel. He had come 
Since sunrise from Capernaum, staying not 
To wet his lips by green Bethsaida's pool, 
Nor wash his feet in Kishon's silver springs, 
Nor turn him southward upon Tabor's side 
To catch Gilboa's light and spicy breeze." 
6th. The Meeting. 

" Forth from the city gate the pitying crowd 
Followed the stricken mourner. They came near 
The place of burial, and, with straining hands, 
Closer upon her breast she clasped the pall, 
And with a gasping sob, quick as a child's, 
And an inquiring wildness flashing through 
The thin gray lashes of her fevered eyes, 
She came where Jesus stood beside the way." 
7th. And when the Lord saw her, he had com- 
passion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 

[Luke vii. 13. 
8th. The Compassionate Saviour. 

" He looked upon her, and his heart was moved. 
4 Weep not,' he said ; and as they stay'd the bier, 
And at his bidding laid it at his feet, 
He gently drew the pall from out her grasp, 
And laid it back in silence from the dead. 
With troubled wonder the mute throng drew near, 
And gazed on his calm looks." 



280 BIBLE LESSONS. 

9th. And he came and touched the bier : and they 
that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, 
I say unto thee, Arise. 

And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. 
And he delivered him to his mother. 

[Luke vii. 14, 15. 

10 th. The Resurrection. 

" A minute's space 
He stood and prayed. Then taking the cold hand, 
He said, ' Arise.' And instantly the breast 
Heaved in its cerements, and a sudden flush 
Ran through the lines of the divided lips, 
And with a murmur of his mother's name, 
He trembled and sat upright in his shroud, 
And, while the mourner hung upon his neck, 
Jesus went calmly on his way to Nain." 

Wth. And there came a great fear on all: and 
they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is 
risen up among us ; and, That God hath visited his 
people. 

And this rumor of him went forth throughout all 
Judea^and throughout all the region round about. 



THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE 
BIBLE. 

Note. It would add much to the interest if pic- 
tures of these different instruments were shown as 
the description is recited. 

First. 
The Musical Instruments of the Bible are divided 
into three kinds, or classes, — Stringed Instruments, 
Wind Instruments, and instruments of concussion, 
or that gave out a sound on being struck. Of 
Stringed Instruments we have The Harp, The Psal- 
tery, Azor or Instrument of Ten Strings, The Gittith 
and The Sackbut. 

Second. 

THE HARP. 

Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my 
exceeding joy : yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, 
O God my God. [Psa* xliii. 4. 

The Harp was the most common and ancient 
stringed instrument of the Jews ; it is more properly 
called the Lyre. It was light and portable, and was 
used on joyful occasions, whether sacred or not. It 
had a general triangular shape, with from seven to 
ten strings, and was played with the hand. The 

281 



282 BIBLE LESSONS. 

strings of the ancient harp were stretched over an 
oval sounding-board, and played with a key. 

Third. 

THE PSALTEEY. 

Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the 
pleasant harp with the psaltery. [Psa. Ixxxi. 2. 

The Psaltery, a Babylonish design, was a stringed 

instrument, flat in shape, in the form of a trapezium, 

or triangle cut off at the top, and was strung with 

thirteen strings. It was played by being struck with 

an iron rod. 

Fourth. 

AZOE, OE INSTEUMENT WITH TEN STEINGS. 

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, 
and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High : 

To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, 
and thy faithfulness every night, 

Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the 
psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. 

[Psa. lxlii. 1, 2, 3. 

The Azor, or instrument of ten strings, is distinct 
from the psaltery, although very similar in appear- 
ance. It has, as its name implies, ten strings. 
Fifth. 

THE GITTITH. 

Gittith occurs in the titles of several Psalms. " To 
the chief Musician upon Gittith." It was a stringed 



MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE BIBLE. 233 

instrument, and from its name, it is supposed David 
brought it from Gaul. 

Sixth. 

THE SACKBUT. 

That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, 
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds 
of music, ye fall down and worship the golden 
image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up. 

[Dan.iii. 5. 

The Sackbut is described as a stringed instru- 
ment, with four strings, and was played with the 
fingers, with a very penetrating sound. It was tri- 
angular in form. It is mentioned in a modern work, 
that one of these instruments was discovered in 
Herculaneum, where it had been for nearly two 
thousand years under ashes; the lower part of it was 
made of bronze, and the upper part of gold. It was 
presented by the King of Naples to George 3rd of 
England, and from the model, the modern trombone 
used in military bands with so much effect, was 
fashioned. 

Seventh. 

MAHALATH. 

Mention is made of this instrument in the titles 
of the 53d and 88th Psalms. It is supposed to be 
a sort of lute or guitar. 



284 BIBLE LESSORS. 

Eighth.— Wind Instruments. 

THE CORNET. 

Sing unto the Lord with the harp ; with the harp, 
and the voice of a psalm. 

With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful 
noise before the Lord, the King. 

[Psa. lxlviii. 5, 6. 

The Cornet was an ancient instrument of music, 
about eighteen inches long, shaped like the flute. It 
was used by the priests, and gave a loud, smooth 
sound. 

Ninth. 

THE TRUMPET. 

And in the day of your gladness, and in your sol- 
emn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye 
shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offer- 
ings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings ; 
that they be to you for a memorial before your God : 
I am the Lord your God. [Num. x. 10. 

The Trumpet differs but little from the cornet, 
particulars of which are no longer discernable. The 
silver trumpets were used by the priests alone in 
publishing the approach of festivals. 
Tenth. 

THE PIPE OR FLUTE. 

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, 
where is the garr^on .->? ? V P r . ?r ; 



MUSICAL IXSTEU^IEXTS OF THE BIBLE. 285 

come to pass, when thou art coine thither to the 
city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets 
coming down from the high place with a psaltery, 
and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them : 
and they shall prophesy. [1 Sam. x. 5. 

The Pipe or Flute was a soft-toned instrument of 
music made of reeds, horn, bone or wood, and was 
used on mournful as well as festive occasions. It 
was played like the Clarinet, and emitted a few deep 
sounds serving as bass. 

Eleventh. 

THE ORGAN. 

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the 
sound of the organ. [Job. xxi. 12. 

The Organ was probably composed of several 
pipes. It cannot mean the modern organ, which 
was unknown to the ancients, but refers doubtless to 
the ancient pipes, similar to Pandean Pipes, a series 
of seven or more tubes of unequal length and size, 
closed at one end, and blown into with the mouth at 
the other. These are still used by the shepherds of 
the East, and in skillful hands produce quite good 
music. 

Twelfth. — Instruments of Concussion. 

TAMBOURINE. 

The Tambourine included all instruments of the 
drum kind, and were similar to those now in use. 



*286 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Thirteenth. 

BELLS. 

And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make 
pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, 
round about the hem thereof ; and bells of gold be- 
tween them round about : 

A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell 
and a pomegranate, upon the robe round about. 

Bells were attached to the bottom of the high 
priest's robe, that he might be heard when he went 
into or out of the Holy place. Many of the Eastern 
kings and nobles wear bells in the same manner at 
the present day. The Arabian ladies in royal pres- 
ence have little gold bells fastened in their neck and 
elbows which when they dance give forth an agree- 
able sound. A custom such as this prevailed in 
Israelitish times. 

Fourteenth. 

CYMBALS. 

Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him 
upon the high sounding cymbals. [Psa. cl. 4. 

Cymbals were musical instruments consisting of 
two broad plates of brass of a convex form, which 
on being struck together produced a shrill, piercing 
sound. From the verse recited it would appear that 
both hand and finger cymbals were used- They 
were employed in the Temple, and upon occasions 
of public rejoicings. 



HAPPINESS. 287 

Fifteenth. 

TIMBREL OR TABRET. 

And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, 
took a timbrel in her hand ; and all the women went 
out after her with timbrels and with dances. 

And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, 
for he hath triumphed gloriously : the horse and his 
rider hath he thrown into the sea. 

The Timbrel is a musical instrument mentioned 
often in Scripture. The Hebrews called it Toph. 
We do not find that it was used in wars, but only on 
public occasions of rejoicings, and then it was com- 
monly employed by the women. It consisted and 
still consists of a small circular rim or hoop, over 
which a skin is drawn. The rim is also hung with 
small bells. The Timbrel was used as an accom- 
paniment to lively music, being shaken and beaten 
with the hand. 

HAPPINESS. 

The Vanity of Earthly Happiness. 

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee 
with mirth ; therefore enjoy pleasure : and, behold, 
this also is vanity. 

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from 
them, I withheld not my heart from any joy ; for my 



288 BIBLE LESSORS. 

heart rejoiced in all my labor ; and this was my por- 
tion of all my labor. 

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had 
wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do : 
and, behold, all was vanity, and vexation of spirit, 
and there was no profit under the sun. 

[Eccle. ii. 1, 10, 11. 
The Value of Happiness. 
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the 
man that getteth understanding : 

For the merchandise of it is better than the mer- 
chandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine 
gold. [Prov. iii. 13, 14. 

The Happiness of Self Denial. 
As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet 
making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet pos- 
sessing all things. [2 Cor. vi. 10. 
The Happiness of Obedience to God. 
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in 
the law of the Lord. 

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and 
that seek him with the whole heart. 

[Psa. cxix. 1, 2. 
Where there is no vision the people perish : but 
he that keepeth the law, happy is he. 

[Prov. xxix. 18c 



HAPPINESS. 289 

The Happiness of Loving God. 

Whom having not seen, ye love ; in whom, though 
now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy 
unspeakable, and full of glory. [1 Peter i. 8. 

The Happiness of Trusting in God. 

I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined 
unto me, and heard my cry. 

He brought mo up also out of a horrible pit, out 
of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and 
established my goings. [Psa. xl. 1, 2. 

The Happiness of an Approving Conscience. 

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our con 
science, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not 
with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we 
have had our conversation in the world, and more 
abundantly to you-ward. [2 Cor. i. 12. 

The Happiness of Heaven. 

And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, 
Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he 
will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, 
and God himself shall be with them, and be their 
God. 

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, 
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, 
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for 
the former things are passed away. 
19 



290 BIBLE LESSONS. 

Happy Children. 
If little children love to pray, 
And keep their temper all the day, 
And never speak a wicked word, 
Whatever language they have heard ; 

Or if they struggle hard and pray, 
To drive all naughty thoughts away ; 
Then they'll be happy all day long 
As wild birds in their morning song. 

CHEERFULNESS. 

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, 
and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them 
for whom nothing is prepared : for this day is holy 
unto our Lord : neither be ye sorry; for the joy of 
the Lord is your strength. [Neh. viii. 10. 

A sound heart is the life of the flesh : but envy 
the rottenness of the bones. [Prov. xiv. 30. 

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance : 
but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. 

[Prov. xv. 13. 

All the days of the afflicted are evil : but he that 
is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. 

[Prov. xv. 15. 

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine : but a 
broken spirit drieth the bones. [Prov. xvii. 22. 



CHEERFULNESS. 291 

Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, 
than that a man should rejoice in his own works; 
for that is his portion : for who shall bring him to see 
what shall be after him? [Eccle. iii. 22. 

Behold that which I have seen : it is good and 
comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the 
good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all 
the days of his life, which God giveth him : for it is 
his portion. [Eccle. v. 18. 

It was meet that we should make merry, and be 
glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive 
again ; and was lost, and is found. [Luke xv. 32. 

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye 
might have peace. In the world ye shall have trib- 
ulation : but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the 
world. [John xvi. 33. 

Or he that exorteth, on exhortation : he that 
giveth, let him do it with simplicity ; he that ruleth, 
with diligence ; he that sheweth mercy, with cheer- 
fulness. [Rom. xii. 8. 

Is any among you afflicted ? let him pray. Is any 
merry ? let him sing psalms. [James v. 13. 

And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice 
over them, and i aake merry, and shall send gifts one 
to another. [R ev - xL 10. 



292 BIBLE LESSONS. 



Contentment. 



I, like the little busy bee, 

That hies from flower to flower, 

Must active be and useful too, 
As far as in my power. 

Whate'er would do me hurt, I must 
With cheerfulness resign : 

And when I suffer, always pray, 
"Thy will, O God, not mine." 

The Saviour's Calling Little Children. 

Saviour, at thy footstool bending, 
We a youthful band appear ; 

May our grateful songs ascending, 
Reach and please thy gracious ear. 

No harsh words of indignation 
Drive this little flock from thee ; 

Gentle is thy invitation : 

" Suffer them to come to me." 

Take us then, thou kind Protector, 
Keep us by thy watchful care ; 

Be our Shepherd, Friend, Director ; 
In thine arms of mercy bear. 



THE NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME, in sending forth a 

new and revised edition of this work the Publishers append a few of the 
many favorable notices which, from various sources, testify to its 
catholicity, and its adaptation to the wants of the disciples of our Lord 
by whatever denominational name they may be called. 

The Name abOVe Every Name, or* Devotional Meditations. 
With a text for every day in the year. By the Rev. Samuel Cutler. 

This little volume, which is a gem of typography, is just what it claims 
to be — "devotional and practical.' The pure gold of the gospel is here 
without the base alloy of man's wisdom. It accords with the teachings 
of the divine Spirit, and tends to exalt in the souls of men the Christ of 
God. 

The texts are fitly chosen, and the exquisite fragments of sacred poetry 
seem like jewels from a mine of inspiration. None can read this book 
devoutly without being benefited ; and all who read it in the spirit in which 
it appears to have been written, will lay down the volume with higher 
views of Christ's nature, and of His work, and reverently acknowledge that 
if His name be above every name in dignity and glory, it is also, as de- 
clared in the inspired canticle, "as ointment poured forth" in its heavenly 
fragrance. — Parish Visitor. , 

From, the Congregationist . 

The Name above Every Name, it has a chapter for every 

week in the year, each chapter preceded with appropriate passages from 
Scripture and closing with a choice selection from devotional poetry. The 
whole book is eminently evangelical, and fitted to foster the growth of 
true and genuine piety in the soul. 

The Name above Every Name. By the Rev. Samuel 

Cutler. This has been carefully prepared by its author. The texts are 
for every day in the year, and have reference to the Scriptural titles of 
our Lord. The devotional and practical meditations are for every week in 
the year. The appendix contains five hundred and twenty five titles of 
our Lord, with the Scriptual reference; also a topical and alphabetical list 
of the titles, and of first lines of poetry with the author's name. 

The work is exceedingly valuable, not only for its meditations, but for 
the great amount of information which it contains. It is a book which 
the Christian would do well always to have at hand. Evagelical Knowl- 
edge Society. 
The volume is a precious vade wecum, for all who love the "Name that 
is above every name"— Protestant Churchman. 
Plain Edition #1.00 Full Gilt $1 50 Red line Edition #2.00 

D. Lothrop & Co., Publishers, Boston. 



CHAPLINS' LIFE OF CHARLES SUMNER. 

With an introduction by Hon. Wm. Claflin, and published 
by D. Lothrop & Co., Boston, (pp. 504, price $1 50), comes 
promptly from the press to meet a general want of the reading 1 
public, and at so early a day as to offer what the community 
is in a mood to appreciate. And yet there are no marks of 
hasty and heedless work. The authors knew the subject well ■ 
his public career and his more private life were familiar things 
to them ; and they had almost nothing new to learn of his 
character, and not many fresh incidents to gather up for the 
illustration of his personal and social traits, and so they have 
put into this volume of 500 pages whatever is necessary to an 
adequate exhibition of the man, and a fair view of his life and 
its great peculiar service. The biographical work is done with 
intelligence, good judgment and good taste. The narrative is 
neither too brief nor too prolix. The traits and services of 
Mr. Sumner are set forth in their proper relative proportions. 
The chief qualities are always set in the foreground, the signifi- 
cant work is always the centre from which the lesser services 
radiate and to which they return. The extracts from his 
speeches are happily made, always setting forth the real man, 
emphasizing what was especially important at the time to 
• which they relate, and the chosen paragraphs are those con- 
taining the gist of his effort, and showing the majesty of the 
philanthropist, statesman and orator with his powerful brain 
in full activity. The style of the volume is pleasant, avoiding 
alike the fault of being too scholarly and too commonplace. 
The veneration felt for Mr. Sumner by the authors is apparent 
in every page, and it comes out in the pains that are taken to 
report the simple and ordinary incidents whose significance is 
found in the fact that they belong to a great man's history 
and help to photograph his soul. It is an honest, faithful, 
warm-hearted narrative, and a discriminating and generous 
tribute, such as the reading public can hardly fail to prize. — 
frodon Daily Journal. 



OPINIONS EXPRESSED. 



Extract from a letter of the poet John G. Whittier, 
to Messrs. D. Lothrop & Co. 

I have to thank you for a copy of the " Life of Charles 
Sumner," by J. and J. D. Chaplin. I have read it with 
much satisfaction. It seems to me to give as full and 
adequate an account of the great Senator as could well be 
compressed in a volume of its size. I shall be glad to see 
the everyway creditable volume you have just published 
widely circulated and wisely pondered by the young men of 
our country. 

" Life of Charles Sumner/' By Jeremiah and 
Mrs. J. D. Chaplin, with an introduction by the Hon. Wm. 
Claflin, is a book we found impossible to lay down till we 
had read it through. It gives in a very succinct manner 
Mr. Sumner's preparation for the conspicuous part in the 
providence of God he was called to take and the way in which 
he performed it in the disenthrallment of the nation from 
the slave power. It is a grand book for the young to read. 
It does not undertake to portray all the virtues or all the 
personal foibles of the man. But so far as it goes it pre- 
sents a truthful picture of the great Senator and of the 
moral grandeur of his career. — The Advance. 

" Life of Charles Sumner," by Rev. J. and Mrs.. J 
D. Chaplin. Boston: D. Lothrop & Co. This timely 
volume, attractive in appearance, we have read with un- 
abated pleasure. It affords a truthful portrait of that 
great man. Beginning with his childhood, this narrative 
follows him through life, giving the salient points in his 
history, and so presenting the man in his conscientious de- 
votion to the right, in his unflinching adherance to his con- 
victions of duty, " testing every private and public act and 
institution by the Christian standard," and so consecrating 
to the cause of human liberty his great intellect and his 
rare attainments, that the reader cannot fail to admire and 
love the man, and thank God for having raised him tip tc 
accomplish such a noble work for this country and for the 
African race. — Christian Era. 



RECENT BOOKS. 



A Girl's Money, By Ella Farman. Price, 
Boston: D. Lothrop & Co. 



£1.00 



Those who have read " A Little 
Woman" and " Grandma Crosby's 
Household" will be delighted to find 
their favorite characters in new 
scenes and relations, with none of 
the old charm lost. To those un- 
acquainted with the former volumes, 
this one will be attractive. The 

The Tropics. By Uncle Ned. \6?no, seventeen illus- 
trations. Price, $1.25. 



characters are natural, the story full 
of interest and variety, and the 
dialogue fresh and sparkling. The 
volume is one of the kind that 
children love to read, and that wise 
parents like to put in their hands.— 
Watchman and Reflector 



It gives valuable information about 
animals, and insects, and trees, and 
fruits in the topics, embodying the 
latest results of scientific inquiry. 
It leads, also, youthful minds to 
notice the proofs of the Divine 
wisdom and goodness controlling the 



life of nature, and the information 
and moral lessons are given in an 
easy and conversational way, which 
awakens curiosity and sustains in- 
terest in the youngest reader. — The 
Boston Daily Journal. 



The Fisher Boy ; or, Michael Penguine. By William 
H. G. Kingston. Price, $1.00. 



We enjoy the heroism, the hardi- 
hood, bigheartedness, the honesty 
and the genuine piety of the hero of 
the story, and of " Paul." The 
story abounds in thrilling narratives 
of " hair-bredth escapes" on the sea 
in a fisherman's life, and gives a life- 
like description of the humble but 
perilous occupation of English 



fishermefi, portrays the loveliness 
and simplicity of " Nelly," the 
every-day religion of " Grand- 
mother," and the devoted, but deeply 
disappointed attachment of the 
brave-hearted " Eban," no one who 
begins to read the book will lay it 
aside untill it is finished. — Christ- 
ian Era. 



Wise and Otherwise. By Pansy, author of 
People," " Ester Ried," etc. Price,$i.5o. 

Words of commendation would 
give but a faint idea of the truths and 
beauties of this excellent work. It 
must be read to be appreciated. Any 
one who has read the lives of the 
" Peid" sisters, will recognize some 
of the same characters, and will 



Three 



readily perceive that the spirit of 
peace which the presence of Cousin 
Abbie always brought, still broods 
over this volume, and tends to cause 
the " wilderness to blossom like the 
rose. — Baptist Union. 



BOOK NOTICES. 



Famous Islands and Memorable Voyages. 

Boston: D. Lothrop & Co. i6mo. Price, $1.00. 

It is neatly printed, beautifully- 
bound and handsomely illustrated. 
The sketches are of reliable, histori- 
cal interest. Where all of the sketches 
are so instructive and entertaining it 
is hardly worth while to particularize. 
Vet, we will say that St. Helena, and 

-Ben's Boyhood. By Airs. C. E. Bow en. Price, 75 cents, 



Napoleon's imprisonment there, the 
strange and wonderful tale of 
Pitcairn Islands, and the touching 
account of the slaying of the intrepid 
discoverer, Capt. Cook, by Sand- 
wich savages, give the book a thrilling 
fascination. — The Contributor. 



A real, life-like story, giving us the 
experiences of an orphan boy adopted 
by a poor relitive, and who sought 
and found ways in which to express 
his gratitude, build up a fine charac- 
ter and send back the kindness he 
had received in a tide of blessing 

Broken Fetters. By L. L., author of "Evening Rest 
and "Branches of Palm." i6mo. Price, $1.50. 



upon those who had served him in 
his time of need. The style is sim- 
ple and pleasant, and the whole tone 
of the story is high and grateful. 
The little people will get pleasure 
and profit out of it. — Watchman &* 
Reflector. 



Broken Fetters is a volume written 
with a high aim and an earnest spirit. 
It takes the form of a story, and 
seeks to show how the most earnest, 
skilful and persistent efforts at self- 



regeneration and the purification of 
society are sure to fail when the 
gospel is set aside and the super- 
human forces offered by religion are 
left unused. — The E?iquirer. 

Myths and Heroes ; or> The Childhood of the World. 
Edited by S. F. Smith, D. D. Price, $1.75. 

" Myths and Heroes" deserves a 
cordial welcome. It presents, in an 
attractive form, for young people, 



the recent theories of the growth of 
civilization from the stone age to the 
present time. It recounts also the 
classical fables and myths which 
h?-'e been so delghtful to young im- 

Davys Jacket. By Hetta L. H. Ward. Price, 75 ce?its. 



aginations, and tests them by a 
Christian standard. It makes an 
instructive volume, and helps one to 
understand better the changes which 
the Christian religion has wrought 
in belief and in social life. — Watch- 
man and Reflector. 



Is a delightful story, if a book with 
so little plot can be called a story 
rather than a sketch. It will have a 
distinct influence for good on the 



child that reads it, and we hope it* 
Christianity and purity and grace 
will be known by many a youngster. 
The New York hidependent. 



BOOKS FOR THE TIMES. JUST READY. 

LIFE OF CHARLES SUMNER. By J. & J. D. Chaplin. With an intro- 
duction by his friend Hon. Wm. Claflin, late Governor of Mass. With fac 
simile letters, heliotype portraits and other illustrations. i2mo. Price, 1.50. 

With new and interesting material illustrating the character of Mr. Sumner, 
which has not been made public, furnishing importent lessons of fidelity to truth 
and duty so much needed at the present hour, this work exhibits in an attractive 
style the leading events of a life full of dramatic interest. 

MODERN PROPHETS. Presents Graphic Pictures of the great Temperanc* 
movement of the day. By Pansy and Faye Huntington. i2mo, illustrated. 1.50*, 
THE TROPICS. i6mo, 17 illustrations. 1.25. 
THE FISHER BOY. By Kingston. i6mo. 1.00. 
HELPFUL THOUGHTS. By T. D. Woolsey, D. D., L. L. D. 1.2s. 
MYTHS AND HEROES. By S. F. Smith, D. D. 1.75. 
HISTORICALS. For Young Folks. By Oro Noque. nmo. 1.25. 
HELEN'S VICTORY. By the author of " Soldier Fritz." i6mo. 75 cts. 
PETER THE SHIP BOY. By Kingston. i6mo. 1.00. 
MATTIE'S HOME, and Little Dot. i6mo. 75 cts. 

WILLIE'S MONEY BOX. By the author of " Little Red Cap." i6mo. 1.25. 
MISS WEALTHY'S HOPE. By Mrs. C. E. K. Davis. i6mo. 1.50. 
THE LOST PURSE; or, Bessie Bleak. 75 cts. 

THE NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME. By Samuel Cutler, D. D. With 
Texts for every day in the year, 525 Scripture names and titles of our Lord, 
Meditations and Devotional Poetry. Revised and Enlarged. Pla'in, x.oo. 
Gilt edge, 1.50. Red line Edition, 2.00. 

The following Libraries by Popular Authors are now complete as 
follows :— 

THE ESTER RIED LIBRARY. By Pansy. 5 vols. In a handsome box. 
Ester Ried. Julia Ried. Three People. The Kings Daughter. 
Wise and Oterwise. 1.50. each. Other volumes by Pansy, in press. 
THE ALLIE BIRD SERIES. By Ella Farman. 3 vols., 1.00. each. 

A Little Woman. Grandma Crosby's Household A Girl's Money. 
THE EVENING REST SERIES. By J, L. Pratt. 3 vols., 1.50. each. 
Evening Rest. Branches of Palm. Broken Fetters, 

THE RIDGEMONT SERIES. By JulU A. Eastman. 3 vols., 1.50. each. 
The Romneys of Ridgemont. Schools-days of Beulah Romney. 

Kitty Kent's Troubles. 
THE $1,000. PRIZE SERIES. 16 vols. 24.50. 

THE NEW $500 PRIZE SERIES. 13 vols. 16.75. 

BOSTON : D. LOTHROP & CO.. PUBLISHERS, 
Bible Warehouse and Bookstore 38 & 40 Cornhill. 

Messrs. D. Lothrop & Co., publish upwards of three hundred choice books 
for Sunday School Libraries and Family reading, they invite attention to the 
high commendation which their publications have received from the religiou* 
and literary press of the country. Catalogues free. 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Sept. 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724) 779-21 1 1 



fir 



